John, I think it depends on the student. Some do have parents to back them up, god knows most of the people I was in school with were in that boat. I was on loans and grants in college, and broke as all hell until my junior year. That summer I got a good internship and won a full ride scholarship for the next year, then senior year I landed a TA job that paid $16/hour. (which, at least I think, is damn good pay for a college student.) While I didn't have quite the watercooled system in those pics, being a comp. sci. student I did funnel what money I could into my computer. The axioms had to wait until I got a real job though...there's no way I could have afforded the system I have now and still eaten, even ramen. But even within the "financial aid" crowd, I had friends who said "there's no way I could afford that computer" and then went off to band practice with their *insert instrument and amp here* which probably cost a similar amount.
