taxation

[infinite monkey]

OK, but the tax reforms you are seeing are all submitted to you by people who think they are poor enough to get financial aid for college, right? So it's not a representative sample of the public at large, or even of that age group.

Actually, that would be incorrect.

People fill out the FAFSA for any number of reasons. Many scholarships are contingent upon filling out the FAFSA (the monies for the scholarship put on the back burner to see what FEDERAL funds might pay first.) Like Tech Prep. The kid follows this path throughout HS and gets the scholarship, but may never use the funds because federal aid pays first. If the student doesn't fill out the FAFSA, they don't get the scholarship. If they get selected for verification and don't submit the documents (one third of all fafsas are selected) they don't get the scholarship. No matter if the family income is one thousand or one hundred thousand.

Also, even a family with a really high Expected Family contribution can qualify for federal loans, which are also contingent upon the FAFSA.

And, a community college has no 'age group.'

We see all ages and all income ranges. My sample, while of course not scientifically "representative" is still pretty darn representative. ESPECIALLY of the middle class.

It's not equitable, which is the question in the OP.