<p>So why can't we fund community colleges <em>and</em> public universities (so those community college students can actually get a half decent degree for all of their work)? Like I said before, the California community colleges are worthwhile mostly because of the transfer possibilities, I mean, how far is a dinky Associates Degree going to get you? And thus the money that goes to a UC or a similar institution will make the community college a better institution by association. </p>
<p>No doubt, I do agree with your sentiments on prestigious universities mostly making the rich richer and the poor poorer. But that's not always the case, and it doesn't always have to be. The Cal and UCLA consist of 36% of students in need of a pell grant (I'd bet most of the kids here won't even know what that is). That's above the national average for <em>all</em> universities, and it's even above the national average for public universities. Surely this can be considered helping the disadvantaged?</p>