As for the college discussion, I'm pretty sure the percentage you can get in grants and loans has been reduced in proportion to the costs. In other words, while costs have gone up, the percentage you can get in low-interest loans and grants has not kept pace. And I seem to recall there were some reductions.
I was fortunate to have done quite well in high school and only had to pay for less than a quarter of my college expenses. That was in the 80s. However, even that much was too much for my parents (I was their fourth kid to go to college) so I had to borrow the money. It was a great experience and paying back the loan wasn't a huge hardship.
Still, during some semesters I worked three jobs. I was busier than I have ever been since. It was worth it.
I don't believe everyone has a chance to go to college. I have a friend who grew up in the inner city. He had no clue that he could go to college. He wasn't a particularly good student. It's hard to when you have to dodge bullets on your way home from school. But his high school coach took interest in him and helped him get into college. What if the coach hadn't come along?
So we can spew slogans all night long, but no one is truly a master of his/her destiny. If you think so, I hope you never find out otherwise. I know a lot of people who found out otherwise after the dot-com bust. Most likely you are a product of your environment and what you are exposed to in life determines what you make of this thing we call life. Sure you have a lot of say in it, but there's a confluence of forces that come together to lay the path.
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