When it comes to the affordability of higher education, most states flunk, according to a new independent report published by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Measuring Up 2006 calculated affordability by determining what percentage of a family's income is spent on the cost of higher education. In Tennessee, the 40 percent of the population with the lowest income must somehow use 101 percent of their income in order to pay the net cost (tuition, room and board minus financial aid) of a private 4-year college or university in the state. Even the 20 percent of the population with middle income must forgo 44 percent of their income to pay for a year of education at a private institution.

Community college and public universities are of course easier on the budget, but still require 35 and 38 percent, respectively, of the yearly income of the lowest two income brackets.

In addition to that, a CNN.com article notes that "Colleges' own funds, which comprise the largest portion of financial aid, are increasingly being used to lure high-achieving students who boost a school's reputation - but who don't need help to go to college."

I remember being struck with this realization firsthand when I sat with two girls at dinner over scholarship weekend who made it clear that they would be coming to Vanderbilt whether they ended up receiving a scholarship or not. I, on the other hand, went back to the dorm I was staying in for the weekend and bawled on the phone to my mother about how I thought I had blown my chance by not talking enough at dinner and stumbling in one of my interviews. I had fallen in love with the campus and was going to be devastated if I didn't get one of the scholarships. To me, this weekend was to determine whether or not all of my hard work and involvement in high school was going to take me bigger and better places I thought I deserved, or whether I went to college in-state with the other 800 plus kids that graduated from my high school. I knew I wanted a top-tier school and I thought I was a worthy candidate, but I never thought it would be possible financially. Luckily, I didn't jumble my interview as much as I thought I did.

I am one of the lucky few however. I'm well aware that my family is by no means low income, but even with the scholarships, it's still not easy for my family to afford to send me here. I can't even imagine what it would be like if I were in a more trying financial situation.

Looking around campus, it's easy to spot money. It's everywhere. Some people own purses that cost more than my laptop. I got very caught up in this fact during my first few months on campus, but soon adjusted and moved past it as best I could. I couldn't imagine being comfortable on this campus as a student with a full scholarship coming from a very low income family. It's a matter of class difference. College selection is not just about academics, it's an overall package deal. If you can't feel comfortable in your skin even though you can pass the classes, the experience is not going to be an altogether enjoyable one.

In order to achieve true diversity on this campus, and on campuses around the country, new policies must be implemented to recruit students of all socio-economic statuses, make it financially possible for them to attend, and allow them feel comfortable. Diversity isn't just about color and country of origin. It's about background, social class, views, and even clothing. That sounds vain, but isn't it nice when you see someone on campus who is sans Polo, Rainbows, and/or pearls'

Parents and students alike need to be told that cost should not be the deciding factor in where to apply to college, and colleges need to respect that as an ideal and change their focus from gaining a higher ranking on college reports to finding the best students possible, regardless of their financial situation.