A generation or two ago, it may have been more possible for a high school graduate to be self-supporting living on his/her own with a high school graduate job, and have some money left over for tuition and books at an in-state public university (perhaps with small student loans), even if s/he had high income parents (i.e. no financial aid) who did not contribute any money. With the significantly worse job prospects for high school graduates and the greater cost of college, doing that is much less possible now than back then.