Education provides one of the best opportunities for American children to build the capacity to climb up the economic ladder. It has even been called the "great equalizer" in American society. In today's tightened labor market, providing equal access to postsecondary education is more critical than ever. The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce projects that 70% of jobs by 2020 will require some postsecondary education or credential. In 2013, students born in the top family income quartile were 8.5 times more likely to earn a bachelor's degree by age 24 than students born in the bottom income quartile--a gap that has steadily grown since the 1970s, according to Postsecondary Education Opportunity. Currently, student financial aid comes from a mix of sources: Federal and state governments; postsecondary institutions; employers; and other private sources. More and more of the cost of college, however, is financed by students and their families. This article discusses research regarding the effects of student debt on students before, during, and after college. Children's Savings Accounts (CSAs) are suggested as a counterbalance to debt dependency. CSAs can help strengthen the capacity of the education system in the following areas: college preparation, college access and completion, and post-college financial health.