<p>Yes, California students are lucky in having a strong public university system. Though I’m troubled by our graduation rates - I don’t know if those are typical nationwide or not. For the CSU system, the average 4-year graduate rate is about 12%, and for the UC system it’s about 54%. Is this what you see in your area too? </p>
<p>It’s still very hard for low-income students to afford a public university. The colleges gap and the grant to self-help ratios are not good, so the amounts they are expected to borrow can easily exceed the federal student loan limits. But if they live near a CSU or UC campus and live at home for free, it becomes more affordable. The biggest component of the cost is room and board.</p>