Prospective college student

Edgar Flores-Villalobos, a senior at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, fills out a form for college financial aid. He would like to attend Cal State L.A. and study criminal justice (Anne Cusack, Los Angeles Times / January 13, 2012)

Were it not for the financial aid that helps cover the cost of his tuition, it is unlikely that Devonte Jackson would be able to attend UC Berkeley.

The political science major has two campus jobs, but his $12,000 state-paid Cal Grant is the glue that holds his education dreams together. Tuition, books, housing and other fees top $31,000 annually.

But Cal Grants could become much harder to obtain for new students under restrictions proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown as part of his 2012-13 budget. One of the most contentious of