The True Costs of College

This book examines the true costs of attendance faced by low- and moderate-income students on four public college campuses, and the consequences of these costs on students’ academic pathways and their social, financial, health, and emotional well-being.

This book examines the true costs of attendance faced by low- and moderate-income students on four public college campuses, and the consequences of these costs on students’ academic pathways and their social, financial, health, and emotional well-being. The authors’ exploration of the true costs of academics, living expenses, and student services leads them to conclude that current college policies and practices do not support low-income and otherwise marginalized students’ well-being or success. To counter this, they suggest that reform efforts should begin by asking value-based questions about the goals of public higher education, and end by crafting class-responsive policies. They propose three tools that policymakers can use to do this work, and steps that every person can take to revitalize public support for public education, equity-producing policies, and democratic participation in the public arena.