It amazes me that we almost universally believe that higher education is somehow strictly a private good. What about the following things:
1) Decreases likelihood of criminal behavior
2) Increases productivity of individual.
3) Increases tolerance of people from different backgrounds
4) Increases communication skills
5) Increases citizen participation
6) By increasing income and critical thought makes person more self-reliant

And while I agree the person going to college should pay a part more than what is already coming from taxes, it is often not considered that college students pay a large opportunity cost in the form of deferment from steady work. And we must keep in mind that society as a whole benefits more from all being educated than any one indivual gets from education.
Furthermore, this reinforces the importance of public support for the old and disabled and assistance with children of students. The opportunity cost for taking care of a dependent relative for a single person is forgoing skill training and education and likely taking at least two crappy jobs (those willing to work around each other and still provide enough income- if possible). The result is lower pay for the whole area (due to supporting the crappy pay of such jobs) qand one more individual who is uneduacted, without skill, likely to become a burden on society (possibly a criminal too). Not only will each of the people affected in this way lose out but so will society little by little for each such person. Alternatively, by working together through organizations or government, the cost becomes a small monetary amount for each person and the opportunity cost is greatly decreased for each individual allowing that no one loses out on education and each person becomes a productive member of society.
I am not taking sides of the private sector or of government. I would prefer the former but until great leaps are made, the latter is more realistic. My point is to argue the efficiency of organization vs. the efficiency of puritanical individualism. Traditionals of both sides of the spectrum understand this concept of community, but I fear as time goes by it is being lost to inwardness.

To make this a private issue rather than a government one requires:
a) a shift in culture toward nobility, pride, and service over material self-gratification (what liberals would recognize as the importance of civil service, conservatives as a return to the values of long ago [but without all the religious divisiveness])
b) a reverse in the trend of compartmentalization. We must recognize the value that all contribute to what we consider the things we've done ourselves (while ignoring the people who now and before invented and helped to build the ideas, methods, and objects we need to accomplish our goals- Hell, I think we should go back to thanking the animals that supply us with meat)
c) a cultural ideal that recognizes the importance of helping EVERY individual reach his or her full potential. No more of the conservative omelette-making (with a few broken eggs) and no more of the liberal entitlements. Even for the disabled, while they should be aided in those things they need to survive while unable to participate in the workforce, they should also be given opportunity to aid through volunteer service. Though they cannot always work as fully productive people, they have some way in which they can contribute. Not only does this increase the self-worth of the weak and downtrodden, but it also helps to build a culture of giving what you have.

In my belief, the ideal system is one which uses the efficiency and deserved reward benefits of capitalism while respecting the basic ideal of Marxism. As opposed to socialism which uses the inefficiency and entitlement of socialism with the selfishness-motivating of capitalism.
The primary trouble is figuring out how to get people to do their part without using the force of the State (the main trouble people have with taxes). Unfortunately, the way our civilization has evolved led to the building of a State and then the realization that we need to work together to get things done and allow the benefits of modern society to increase the prosperity of the weak and poor as well as others. So the State became the device. We must realize that the State, big corporations, and other institutions are nothing but cultural constructions. They are not the be-all and end-all of choices.
The government will not help and don't expect the big money fatcats to help either. Only grassroots work will fix this situation. And we better start now. As globalization sets in, we will want the State and bigshots in corporate ivory thrones weakened as much as possible. The people of the world should be in charge when it all comes down, not the elites. And we don't want to become cold-blooded reptiles in the process that do not care for one another or wish to see each other succeed.
Nothing would be better for the State or the elites than putting an end to their services NOW. We need the proper system in place first. This is where I differ most strongly with conservatives (other than being an unrepentent, stern multiculturalist). We need people to take responsibility BEFORE the system comes down, not expect them to do it afterward.