Last month in this space, we wrote about a poll by the Detroit Regional Chamber that revealed a startling disconnect between the facts about Michigan’s economy and residents’ perceptions of it. We didn’t discuss another troubling finding of that survey, which concerns what Michigan residents believe about the cost of a college degree.

Among the findings:

• The survey asked people what they think the average student loan debt is for a graduate of Wayne State University. A majority, or 58%, believed it was more than $50,000. In reality, almost half of Wayne State students graduate without student debt, and those with debt carry less than $25,000.
• Nearly one-third of respondents said the average cost of a four-year degree at Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan or Northern Michigan University is over $100,000. The real cost is more like $64,000 for four years of study — and that’s before financial aid, which can significantly lower the cost for both low-income and middle-class students.

You might think this disconnect between perception and reality is nothing more than an interesting piece of trivia, but it has real consequences.

When high school students think college is out of reach, they’re less likely to even consider it — and, as a result, close the door to future opportunities.

This is why some colleges have made a point of marketing their financial aid promises in as straightforward a way as possible, to make sure students don’t get convinced that college isn’t an option before they even think about applying.

For example, the University of Michigan’s Go Blue Guarantee completely covers tuition and all mandatory fees for students with family incomes of $75,000 or less and assets below $75,000. 

Michigan State University recently rolled out a similar program, called the Spartan Tuition Advantage, that is available to many Michigan high school graduates starting with the class of 2024.

And it’s not just public universities. Here in Lenawee County, Siena Heights University has initiated the Brain Gain Promise, a tuition-free guarantee for any student whose family has a total household income of $65,000 or less. Because students who live within 35 miles of the Adrian campus can commute, thus avoiding room and board costs, a completely free college education is now within reach for many Lenawee County residents.

It has become popular in some circles to denigrate college education and insist that it’s overpriced and has no value. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

To be sure, college is not the only path to financial security and a rewarding career — but statistics show that it is nonetheless a very good one. And it does not have to be reserved for a privileged few. 

Programs like the Go Blue Guarantee and the Brain Gain Promise are putting a college education within reach for more and more people. That’s good for students, good for Michigan, and good for America.