The 'Bennett Hypothesis,' on Why College Prices Rise, Is Alive and Well

By Goldie Blumenstyk

William J. Bennett was probably too simplistic when he famously proclaimed 25 years ago that increased student aid makes it easier for colleges to raise their tuition, says a new policy paper from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, but he wasn't necessarily wrong.

The assertion by the former secretary of education, which has come to be known as the Bennett hypothesis, has been widely debated over the years, with some academics arguing that it was