Enrollment varies widely: 44% of young Iowans in college; only 18% of Alaskans. Best educated generation is the one retiring, not the youngest. Scholarships often go to high-scorers from wealthy homes, rather than to students who can't enroll without them.

Sad, Masbury. My children were born and raised in the US. I felt I gave them a good gift. They have both invoked their Irish citizenship and availing of free college education, plus living expenses grants. I wonder why I ever left my own country. The dream was here all along!

Who can blame them? I just read today that more and more American students are going to college abroad, which they can do in the UK, for instance, for about the price of out-of-state tuition at a public university in the USA, and are actively recruited. There are 1200 American students at the U of Edinburgh.

Should be a no-brainer that nations that offer tuition-free college are going to end up better educated than nations that don't. But I suspect most Americans are simply unaware that university education is free in Europe. It's the American way - expect the people with the least to pay.