Quote:Just 27% of public, four-year schools are affordable for low-income students More than half of the nation’s most affordable colleges are still unaffordable for low-income students. That’s one takeaway from a report released this month by the National College Access Network, a membership group for organizations committed to college access. Less than half, or 48%, of the nation’s community colleges are affordable for students who qualify for Pell grants, the money the federal government provides to low-income students to attend college.