I can see how base tuition can be dropped significantly if you're poor. I have a hard time believing that your actual costs (some that the university cannot co

I can see how base tuition can be dropped significantly if you're poor. I have a hard time believing that your actual costs (some that the university cannot control) can be dropped as well, so poor kids don't really stand a chance unless the university is handing out money to cover non core costs. You're still going to have to deal with a high cost of living (Boston real estate is not cheap; food isn't cheap, transportation costs aren't cheap), textbook prices (usually set by 3rd parties such as publishers), and other essential costs. Granted, cutting base tuition by 90% might leave room to cover these expenses, but still. But good on MIT for having the ability to drop tuition by 90%, that's a great start. However, their endowment is massive and has the ability to play with numbers. A state school might not have that ability.