A new Lumina Foundation and Gallup poll finds adults widely doubt four-year colleges are affordable: only 12% rated affordability as good or excellent, while 54% said community colleges fare better. Even with affordability concerns, 74% of parents said they want children to pursue postsecondary education directly after high school, with nearly 3 in 10 choosing a four-year path as the top option. The survey arrives as financial pressure on institutions persists. An S&P Global Ratings report cited weak operating margins across many colleges, with the median private-college operating margin at -0.4% in fiscal 2025 and public institutions at 0.7%. At the federal level, House appropriators advanced a bill that would raise the maximum Pell Grant by $50 to $7,445 and provide $16 billion to address a program budget shortfall, according to the brief. For higher education administrators, the combined evidence points to intensifying affordability scrutiny, potential constraints on campus aid strategy, and the likelihood of more volatile net price outcomes for Pell-eligible and low-income students.