Re dowries: often the kallah has a generous shower which alleviates the burden.
And remember the number of girls who DIDN’T get married in the heim for lack of a dowry.
After a few years used to be bnei Torah took on a position. Now they’re just coming back from E”Y and joining a mini kollel.
I have to wonder, if some of these boys would be plopped into a yeshiva 100 years or so ago (assuming they got in) would they have rated the five year plan that’s become de riguer? What would those roshei yeshiva have said?