You hear about mountains of debt because 1° VERY few states are as good to their residents as California when it comes to public Higher Education. 2° some students apply without thinking about costs then make their parents take loans for them.
CSU’s only provide sufficient aid for you to pay tuition. UC’s also package the cost of room&board. Therefore, for a strong student, it may be cheaper to attend a UC.
Look into “blue and gold” and also “Regents”. UCLA has excellent scholarships for low-income students. All in all, above tuition, any scholarship toward room and board will derive from a very strong HS record.