| Eh, that's quite an overestimation. There's no support in the form of food and housing I know of in public high school system, and to go to college you need money that are beyond average young person's summer or part-time salary. The state health insurance program exists but with varying political support and funding levels (more with Democrats). What is true, is that college is at least partly subsidized by society, and typically involves leaving family to live in a dorm; and that culturally people are expected to make their own life choices at this point and later. I'd say people are indeed expected to be able to care about themselves after they start college until very old age. Note that the amount of money necessary to go to "elite" isn't necessary more than the amount of money to go to average state college -- Harvard, Princeton and other schools have financial aid, which, I believe, pays all tuition and an additonal stipend for people who don't have money at all. Google for it; it's quite a hot topic right now. |
Are American Economically Family-Independent