This paper directs itself primarily to an examination of the relationship between educational opportunity and the overall organization of higher education. The first part of this paper is concerned with the current meaning of educational opportunity and the major issues involved in its implementation. These are: (1) the functions of higher education; (2) universal access or universal attendance; (3) the nature of the curriculum; (4) local versus regional colleges; (4) autonomy versus control; (5) who will pay; and (6) what access criteria should be used. The second part deals with some of the findings of a national study on the extent to which higher education is accessible to various populations. This study was based on a demographic analysis of all 2600 recognized institutions in the US, and its findings indicated that about 3 in 10 were free access institutions, i.e., relatively inexpensive, admitted the majority of high school graduates, and presented no geographical or psychological barrier. Free access education was almost exclusively public, constituting 60% of the public sector and 1% of the private sector. The last part describes the organization of accessible higher education in various states, particularly as it bears upon the major issues outlined. (AF)