In 1960 in New York, they had a Regents Scholarship program. If one scored at a certain level one obtain a scholarship for $750. That was almost a year's tuition at many schools, public and private. If you scored at a higher level you got what they called a Science and Engineering scholarship of $1,000. It applied if you majored in science or engineering. No one asked about any of your demographic factors. It was a way to go to college. If you lived in New York City you could also go to CCNY free plus get the scholarship. It paid for the subway and books. Perhaps even a shared room in a cheap apartment which went for $90 per month.
Some academic writes in the NY Times that all should be subsidized. But back then, yes 601 years ago, MIT tuition was $1.200 per years and there were two Deans. Period. Engineering and Science. There was no massive overhead, no proto-Marxist lecturing, and most of the students were first generation collegial students. In a sense these were the post WW II crowd who plowed the fields for the generation of entrepreneurs.
The problem is not that we cannot pay a reasonable amount the problem is that universities are adding useless overhead and education that demeans the core entrepreneurial spirit that got us where we are today.
Now when it comes to Community Colleges, I even went to our local. Wanted to redo Organic Chemistry after 50 years. I was first denied entry because I was too old. Yes, age discrimination. That is until I filed a complaint with the Vice President of Student Equality or whatever showing her that this was per se discrimination and actionable. I remember her reply as I was in an aisle of Home Depot, I believe that she or someone on her staff found out who I was before calling. Problem solved.
However the classes were reasonable but the students were left adrift. The drop out rate was horrible and no one really cared, especially the faculty. That is the problem with Community Colleges, third rate faculty and useless administrators, but over paid.
Free school is not the issue. Cleaning out the stables of useless and detrimental administrators is essential. That however is a Government created problem. For every new Government dicta we get a new Dean and cadre of staff. Pity.
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