Courtesy of Mish.
Do poor people have the right to free services just because they are poor?
I ask that question after reading Debt-Free Colleges: Schools That Won’t Saddle You With Loans by Forbes contributer John Wasik.
Wasik notes that grants are based on needs. Family income limits range from $40,000 to 60,000, but grants also depend on number of wage earners in the household, single parents, whether a child is a dependent and a whole range of other financial factors.
Divorce, medical expenses, job loss, etc. also make a huge difference in whether you’re considered for the non-loan offer.
Finally, you need to be an above-average student just to get in the door.
Reverse Discrimination
Reader Marty emailed this comment on the practice: “Poor people should not be entitled to attend elite colleges for nothing. Someone has to pay. This practice is more redistribution ‘justice’, especially applicable to low-income persons admitted using discrimination or reverse discrimination criteria.”
Wage Discrimination
