So ok, we&#x27;re comparing realities that might not be comparable. I also didn&#x27;t have as bad as others, but in my case something like &quot;in-state tuition&quot; was essentially unthinkable as well as any sort of debt. If you have nothing, first it&#x27;s unlikely someone would borrow you the money and second it&#x27;s a terrifying prospect and a lot of money.<p>The US poverty line is about 15k for a two-person family. That would mean that earning that much would make 1-3 years of family income in debt.