The article explores different ways to help people pay for college and how these methods can impact society. By studying a model of the economy, the researchers found that subsidies for tuition, need-based aid, income-contingent loans, and merit-based aid can all improve the economy's efficiency and increase income equality. These policies also lead to more intergenerational mobility, allowing people to move up the social ladder. However, each policy has different effects on overall societal welfare, so it's important to choose the right approach.