There is one issue that hasn't been really addressed here though. While I love the idea of "free" college education for the "smart" ones ... the ones who really should be in college, not those who don't have the potential or go there just to have fun and waste couple more years of their life, the highly selective system that I like in Europe can have one huge drawback. It tends to eliminate a lot of highly intelligent kids who have learning disabilities and various special needs. The system looks for the high achieving, perfect in every aspect students. So as much as I'd love to get our boys into free public university, with their issues, I'm thinking our only chance will be the current system and them being able to get enough scholarships and assistance and jobs to be able to afford it.