American Enterprise Institute: PDK poll reveals anxiety about postsecondary education

By Andrew P. Kelly

Over just a few years, college affordability has gone from a minor political issue to a headlining one. Why? A wider swath of the income distribution is feeling the pinch, and they are feeling it for longer. Tuition has increased at the same time that family incomes have declined, meaning responsible middle-class families who have saved for college can no longer afford it. Thanks to growing reliance on loans, what used to be a temporary financial crunch has become a lasting financial obligation that hangs around students and parents for years. For the 40 percent of students who drop out, these loans can quickly become an albatross. Taken together, these trends are a recipe for a broader political coalition in search of college affordability.