You seem to be under the impression that I'm disagreeing with your post. That's not the case.

I'm not saying it's easy, only that it is possible. In the USA, there are grants and scholarships. They're not always handed to you on a piece of paper, though. Some require a lot of work to find. Personally, I worked every summer at a low-wage job and did work study making $5/hr during the school year. Work study is tax free and the lab monitor positions allow you to get work done, if it's slow. Federal pell grants covered a significant chunk back then, too. I graduated with debt, but not much.

I know others, though, who thought they needed to go fancy schools and graduated with mountains of debt.

People in the US also seem to think that they should go straight from high school into a four-year school. Don't. Work a "job" for a few years and save up first. Go to a community college for general credits and transfer to a four-year school or, better yet, get a liberal arts degree from a community college and then find a position related to what you want to do for a career. That way, you can build experience. If you decide to go for a higher degree, your employer may even foot the bill.

As for other countries, it really depends on which one you're in. My friends in Spain pay a fraction of what we do in the USA.

Yes, inequality is a thing. Unfortunately, it can be very limiting. It shouldn't become an excuse, though. If you're really driven, there is a way.

The real question is: is there a why? My undergraduate degree was worthless—couldn't get work because of lack of "experience." Since then, I've worked in different places for about ten years and am now going back for a masters. I hope it's more use than the bachelors was.

If you absolutely need a degree, you can do it. If you don't need one, it's not worth the effort and cost.