Only Money?
You know, it is very true that people without the financing will never become pilots in the US. It is not fair to assume that little is required beyond money. Pilots still have to pass check rides according to well defined PTS. I have met a few examiners who operated outside of the college flight program environments that were "easy to pass", but those were rare. Most check rides were to PTS and performed to professional standards.
The money part that is referred to in the US concerns mainly that without funds, prospective pilots will never get there. It may also imply that people who would have otherwise made excellent pilots will never get a chance since the financial aspect may seem a barrier to some.
This is all assumption and does not really prove that financing is the only way to become a pilot. The last time I checked, there was still plenty of competition here in the US for those lowly paid 20K yearly jobs. Still plenty of 4 year college degree applicants.
Yes, money is a barrier, but that certainly does not mean that any person with the financing can become a pilot. There are still standards.