Figure total expenses at your typical in-state school are $15k a year. For four years that's $60k. Even if financial aid only gives you $5k a year that's still $20k less that you have to pay interest on. Once you get out of school with that spiffy college edumacation then you can work on paying off the loans.

It ain't living in the lap of luxury but pretty much anybody can afford to go to college assuming they become gainfully employed afterwards. It's the one time where I'm not vehemently opposed to taking out a loan when you clearly don't have the means to pay for the thing otherwise (i.e. you're not buying a car with the money).