Also, at least here in India, if you are brilliant in academics (or above average) there are entrance exams and you can get into really excellent colleges (mostly run by central Govt and some by state Govts too - engg, law, medicine, design, journalism etc) at affordable tuition (which may sound like free if compared to US educational cost) and even if that cost also feels a burden education loans are really easy for such better schools and once you start earning those loans are like nothing compared to the salary you get.