Financing Higher Education at Selective Private Institutions: Implications for College Access and Choice

This essay draws upon the final report of the National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education (1998), Ehrenberg (2000), and King (1999) to explore (a) the cost of higher education at selective private colleges and universities, (b) public concern about the rising costs of higher education, and (c) the shift in financial aid policy from access to affordability. It also discusses implications for selective private institutions, the broader goals of access and choice, and higher education professionals.