A new report released this month alleges that public colleges, receiving fewer federal dollars for education at a time when they are trying to attract better and brighter students, are making infrastructure investments such as laboratories and new technology, and passing the costs to the students.

Adding to this is an increased emphasis on accountability for all public institutions that receive public funds, and it is moving beyond elementary education to state universities such as the SUNY system of New York State, which has proposed raising tution to hire more instructors, in order to raise graduation rates.

All of this can make a public university education seem increasingly unaffordable.  Yet there are many ways to finance a college education, and a recent Monitor article asserts that many students and their families do not fully investigate the financial aid options, and makes some helpful suggestions.  Some are as easy as filling out a single form known as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Unfortunately, the formula for Pell Grants is being changed, which may cut off eligibility for many students.  With state universities raising their tuition, a few hundred dollars can make a difference between attending or not.

With challenges come alternatives.  A bill that is moving through the Arizona legislature would make community colleges eligible to offer four-year degrees, and carry the same weight as a degree from the state system.