There are plenty of ways to go to top tier schools without taking on debt. A creative combination of scholarships, transfers, income, and employer benefits can take care of everything.
Among the failures of the system is the excessive emphasis on the traditional four year path, as well as the lack of clear information about the alternatives.
But for the rest of us rabble, I'm sure glad I'm not struggling under $100,000 in debt.
Perhaps it's by design - America needs a docile workforce, and nothing gets you working diligently in a marginal job quite like crushing debt.