In fairness, Ivy league schools in the US are not representative of all universities and colleges. We have government-financed State colleges in most if not all states. Taxpayers subsidize tuition. In NJ where I live: Rutgers University yearly tuition for NJ residents $11,619. Students who come from out-of-state tuition is $27,560 USD. Princeton, private college is about 5x Rutgers resident costs. Room and board for both schools extra.
Princeton's financial aid policy:
"Reflected in Princeton’s financial aid program is our commitment to access and affordability. Princeton admission is need-blind — there is no disadvantage in the admission process for financial aid applicants. This ensures a continued and growing enrollment of a diverse group of students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
If offered admission, Princeton will meet 100 percent of your demonstrated financial need with grant aid. Princeton is one of a handful of universities that applies the same policy to international students.
"Princeton’s financial aid program is recognized as one of the most generous in the country. We determine a family's ability to pay using our own need formula, with fair and generous individual results.
Princeton’s no-loan policy replaces student loans with grant aid that students do not pay back — this makes it possible to graduate with little to no debt."
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aidDo you have any personal experience with applying for or receiving financial aid at a "top university" in the last decade?
I think you are looking at the wrong end of the scale for the villains. You might want to do some research on "educational" entities with names like Acme Auto Diesel College and Digital Institute of Technology which charge high tuition and have lousy student placement records.