The trouble is, not many families with HHI below $65k know that Harvard, Yale, etc are free for them. Instead they see the enormous sticker price and they hear

The trouble is, not many families with HHI below $65k know that Harvard, Yale, etc are free for them. Instead they see the enormous sticker price and they hear on the news constantly that college is expensive. The guidance counselors who know enough to tell them are mostly at richer schools. If a news story went out tomorrow saying "Harvard is free," Harvard would get a lot more applicants from the <65k bracket. I agree that it would be better to be free for the poor and expensive for the rich, but right now that free tuition policy is nestled under a billboard saying "$45,000/year."