I went to a top public University, UC Berkeley, and it was relatively inexpensive at the time in the late 90s and early 00s. I borrowed only $17,500. However, many, many people I went to school with are stuck in low-level jobs that pay far below a middle class lifestyle. I was/am relatively lucky, in that I have been able to pay consistently on my loans since '04 and now owe less than $10,000 (at the age of almost 36), but this is clearly a huge problem for my generation - and even more so for the generation after mine! Something MUST be done. Tuition at my school has more than tripled in the 13 years since I graduated, and I'm about to tell my 11-year old son just not to bother. We are putting our young people in a TRAP, from cradle to grave. It's shameful!