Education for One and for All

Normally you might think of free universal higher education as being uniquely Socialist, so it might come as a surprise to you that a king - Francois I - created the College de France (1515-1545)in Paris's Latin Quarter as a free college. The rule of thumb goes like this: the classrooms are open until every seat is filled up. The College de France still exists and the rules of entry haven't changed. You may have to wait in line for an hour or more for a popular course. Currently, the situation on the other side of the pond becomes increasingly precarious when it comes to higher education. It isn't unusual for students to graduate from college with $50,000 debts or more. What a way to begin your working life - already indentured for thirty years to the banks. Apparently, according to some friends here in France, French students can also fall in debt if they choose to attend private technical schools. Considering the astronomical fees for education in the US, I'm wondering - tell me, Harvard, Dartmouth, Berkeley graduates - is it worth going in debt?