The Detroit News reports that complicated aid applications, fears of tuition debt, expenses for books, housing and food are among the many barriers that experts say are causing needy families to turn away from higher education. Michigan's 15 publicly funded universities saw overall enrollment grow over the past decade, but saw the proportion of Pell Grant students on most campuses shrink. Even students who score zero on the Free Application for Student Financial Aid, earning them maximum financial aid, and the best rates on subsidized loans, come up short of being able to pay all the bills without working long hours after school or taking on more loans from higher interest private lenders. It's not just Pell-level families that are feeling the pinch: families in the 50,000 income range are having a hard time as they are above the Pell Grant level (which triggers many other aid packages) but below an income necessary to cover the cost of college. At the same time, there are reports on universities using merit awards to sweeten the financial aid packages of academic achievers (many who come from wealthier families).

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