Community College. Half the cost of State College, half again the cost of Private College. The problem is (a) talented students don't choose community college,

Community College. Half the cost of State College, half again the cost of Private College. The problem is (a) talented students don't choose community college, so they don't get the economy of scale of filling a classroom with likeminded students, so you don't get advanced classes. It's still an amazingly great solution for students to do 2 years at Community College and then 2 years at a State College, especially at prestigious state colleges like Washington and Michigan. But it takes a thick skin and a lot of initiative to overcome cultural biases and pressures.