You read it right Stanford University, the Stanford University, "home of the Cardinal," the Harvard of the West, is giving students a free ride for a four college degree. Students need not pay tuition and many of these students need not pay for most of their room and board costs either. The catch is that for free tuition the student's family needs to make less than $100,000 and to get tuition, room and board free the student's family needs to make less than $60,000. I have several thoughts here and I am bound to offend some of you, so please accept my apology in advance. I am really just thinking. What is the goal of this policy? Is this social engineering? Trying to create an academic meritocracy? Are they trying to diversify the Stanford student population because people in many places in America outside of California do not earn $100,000. A number of Southern Students could get a totally free ride at Stanford. (Not to mention students from Central and South America and for that matter many countries in the world) What is the message being sent to students whose parents make more than $100,000? "We are not as interested in your kind around here" or "it is your civic duty to pay for those who are middle classed and poorer." Maybe the message to those students from more fortunate families is: "Your family's hard work and diligence in earning an income is it's own reward so; we are going to make you share, if you want to get a degree from Stanford." Oh, did I mention that tuition at Stanford is being increased at the same time this handout program is being implemented. It is. By the way, if this program remains in place for several more years, my children may end up going to Stanford, possibly tuition free. Wonder how Stanford counts your family income if a student declares/establishes their independence from their parents.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/21/stanford.tuition.ap/index.html
