Some students decide to go to expensive private colleges - somehow thinking it’s a good investment? Then they decide to live in an expensive apartment rather than living in a dormitory. Then they need a car to get to campus, a big screen, a new computer...
The smart kids live at home, go to a community college the first two years, do well and get a scholarship to the state college.
Most parents want to do the right thing for their kids. Maybe these parents thought it was important for their daughter to go to a fancy school.
Other smart kids join the military and take advantage of the educational assistance offered. The really smart ones get on the officer track and commission upon graduation. They start out mostly debt free earning $36k.
Really smart kids enroll at wgu.edu where they can do all the claases they want in a semester for a low flat fee. Can’t wrap up all the bull shit requirements without have to deal with some liberal professor or TA.
A person can graduate with no college debt and get it done in no more than three years while having time to work at least part-time.