if you make all college free, tuition will sky rocket and make it unaffordable for taxpayers. people also should bear some responsibility for their actions especially since not everyone goes to college.
total tuition should be capped over the life of the college, the average income ten years out for that degree. nurses might make 60 k in ten years, so that's what the tuition should be capped at for the life of the college. if philosphy majors only make 30 k ten years out, that's what it should be capped to go to college. this makes the cost prooportional to the marketability of the major. if it doesn't need to take four years, colleges will have an incentive to lessen the time instead of dragging it out.
as far as finanical help. the disabled should have debt discharged.
everyone else, all payments should be income based and not part of a person's credit report that would stop them from getting other loans or mortgages. people should pay ten percent of their income per year after school. after ten years, hopefully they will be paid off. if not, half of the rest of the balance is discharged, and they continue paying ten percent a year for another ten years. then the half balance is again dischraged and the process repeats until it's paid off or they die. this ensures people take responsbility for their actions while not being completely unaided.
all grants should be abolished in favor of loans