California long enjoyed rapid growth, abundant jobs, and expanding college opportunity--key elements of the California dream. Now the state is struggling to recover from its worst economic crisis in generations, a demographic slowdown, a devastating collapse of the wealth of the state' families from the housing crisis, and severe cutbacks in higher education. California' students are being asked to pay much more to get less. There can be no doubt that these are extraordinary times and if California is to emerge from its worst fiscal crisis in modern times, it will require sacrifice on everyone's part. Yet, in spite of a lot of discussion about the budget crisis, there has been too little analysis of the consequences of the budget cuts and far too little information on how the cuts have affected the lives and prospects of the young people trying to finish college and prepare for a future. The choices are grim for California students. Either the state develops the talent of its young people or it declines. There is no easy answer in this difficult time, but everyone needs to listen carefully to the struggling students who are the state's future. (Contains 11 tables and 4 footnotes.)