The very act of taking one class in college lowers your chances of ending up on Medicaid (which is tied to the poverty level of the state) by 60%. Get a Bachelor's and it drops by 85%.

Hence the problems with poverty. It isn't this evil American society that keeps the poor down. It is that the poor lack sufficient motivation to no longer be poor. There are so many subsidized programs for the poor to attend college. Matter of fact, when I was going to college using Pell Grants, the GI Bill, and Student Loans, I actually made almost double the money per week by going to school than I did off my full-time job.

Now I am not in poverty and I get to pay much higher marginal tax rates so that I can subsidize the healthcare of the folks that were too lazy to work two jobs and go to school at the same time like I did. My kids go to good schools and I have savings for them to go to college since they won't qualify for government subsidies since we are not poor enough.

Fact is that college is not difficult. It requires attendance and dilligence. Community Colleges are everywhere and are affordable.

Oh, yeah, I spent almost five years finishing my first two years of college part time at the local Community College(s). While my GPA was much higher, I have seen people that were Forest Gump level graduate with Associate Degrees.

If you don't get sold on Women's Studies or Sociology or one of the other "Liberal" Arts degrees, I bet your chances of ending up on medicaid with a degree approach ZERO.