Elite financial‑aid policy and public tuition decisions are diverging: Yale University expanded its tuition‑guarantee program to cover undergraduates from families earning under $200,000, broadening access at a selective private institution. At the same time, Nevada’s System of Higher Education voted to raise tuition and fees up to 12% over three years to cover an impending loss of state bridge funding and operating shortfalls. Yale’s move reduces sticker shock for many applicants and aligns the university with a small group of elite schools raising income thresholds for free tuition. Nevada’s board justified the increases as necessary to preserve jobs and cover deferred maintenance and student services; system leaders estimate the hikes will generate roughly $49.3 million annually. State tuition increases and private aid expansions will affect enrollment dynamics, price sensitivity and access. Public university leaders say state funding volatility forces difficult choices between campus affordability and institutional solvency.