What a load of crap!  Not paying for college just encourages student loans.  That's the entry point into a world of debt.  The real issue is that every student thinks they'll be the next Bill Gates.  We need to encourage innovation and dreams.  But we need to provide some reality as well.

I paid for college myself - went to an inexpensive state school UCSD.  Still, I couldn't afford to pay tuition food and rent.  Rent was the first thing to go.  I lived in my car for three years.  It's against the law to live in your car in La Jolla.  The police (a few in particular) were always hounding me.  Food became scarce.  I took showers in the gym and used the dorms for laundry.  Dating was all but impossible - chicks just don't dig the poor dude.  Graduated 1996.

My kids won't be living in cars.  Heaven forbid yours has to.  I can't just sit and watch as mine starve.

I'd rather teach my kids the value of education and money in other ways.  

>Share basic time-value-of-money concepts

>Open a savings account - make them work for the money

>Have them pay for any toys (I'll buy books)

I agree with others...the OP and many others can't afford college for their kids, well guess what? If you'd invested a small amount when they were born, consistently, 18 yrs later you'd have enough for SOMETHING! I can't tell how many classmates I had who also worked jobs, they were exhausted, burnt out, and I often beat them big-time in grades, tests, etc.

See my post above, for less than $40K of their own money my parents got me out of the house, into a job paying $50K/yr in 2000 and now over $80K/yr, and completely independent of them. Seems like a darn good return on investment to me!

Oh and the one poster whose parents had the money to send her to college, but refused...shame on them. Shame! Each of our retirements must come first, but if you can't fund college, guess what? Get a 2nd job, do something to earn more income, stupid! Unless your child decides they want trade school or something else, do you really want them not to have the same opportunities you did?

From 1969 to 1973 I worked construction during the summers and living at home enabled me to save enough to pay for an entire year of college including living expenses at a State school.  A kid today cannot get a summer job that will pay enough to cover the costs for a year in school.  It says something about the diparity in wages versus cost of education

We have 3 children and 2 have already graduate with some loans and the 3rd one will to when she starts in the fall.  But we paid all of the out of pocket money after the financial aid and scholorships.  In order to make sure our children did not waste their time or our $$ in college, we informed them we will pay for 4 years unless their degree requires 5 years after aid.  If they mess up by partying or just not going to class and fail a semester we will NOT pay for the additional time needed for the degree.  That will solely fall on them.  Our first 2 graduate in 4 years, participated in sports and between them graduate with 3 degrees.  Making them aware that the $$$ was cut off if they goofed around sure made them finish in 4 years when their friends were taking 5-6.

LOL to Eric...I don't know RacerX personally, but seriously, college is an investment in a child's not only future earning power, but more importantly their character and general knowledge base. I hate to say it, but I wonder if the board mod (Donna F) applauds Racer and others for this...I know "life happens" to all of us in one way or another, but bottom line, a little investing and planning and most families could come up with the funds for at least 2 yrs of a decent college on their own, shame on parents who do not...

Parents have a responsibility to provide the means for their children to succeed in life. Today that is, at a minimum a college degree and in most cases some form of graduate school. Owning a huge SUV and not paying for your children's education is the current fad, too bad for the children involved

We helped to pay our son's college tuition. They first had to take  out FaFsa student loans and find part time jobs for their everyday expenses. They did come out of college with about 20,000 in debt. But they learn how to budget and not get caught in the credit card spiral.

Everything starts with what the students learns at home as to what is important and how to deal with it.Parents have to make sure their children know that there are personal expectations ---if not pull the plug

I went to college tuition was 350.00 a 1/4----now it is about 30,000 a year at a private and 7500 at a public---

teach what is important at home and watch your children mature!

I think the decision is up to each parent, but from experience.....my parents paid my college completely- or would have if I didn't fail out after the 1st year and half.  I worked a part-time job all through high school, had to buy my own car and pay my own expenses from high-school on.  We were taught the value of hard work and money management.  I didn't run up any debt or anything, but since I had no idea what kind of money I was wasting I didn't buckle down and study.  Everything came easy in high school, I got straight A's and rarely had to work at it, but college was A LOT different and I got really discouraged.....

anyway, 8 years later, I turned out OK regardless.  Learned a few lessons about the real world and have a good job that I really like.

Many of my friends were given free rides by their parents (and actually finished)...most in more than 4 years and then still had to move home after college because they couldn't figure out how to manage their money and live on their own.

I guess there are pros and cons to each scenario.

My parents paid for college; I made good grades, and I'm on my way to law school, for which I will be paying.  I have always paid my own credit card bill on time every month.  Teach your kids to manage money well when they are young, and it will reflect in their time and money management in college.  I graduate in May with honors and have had several scholarship offers for law school and several job offers, unlike my peers who were forced to work to pay for everything and had no time to establish contacts or build their resumes.

Shame on you for taking the easy way out of just throwing them out in the world instead of teaching them responsible money habits as they grow up.  You will be up a creek if your kids remember how you wouldn't help when you are 85 and cannot take care of themselves.  I hear many nursing homes are about as kind and caring as credit card companies...

Enough of the ‘I did this for myself, so others should too’. States and grant programs will be more strapped for cash due to economic issues. Maintaining university facilities will be much more expensive with rising fuel and material costs. Tuition will continue to rise as menial college student-type jobs pay the same (decline, considering inflation). Student loan rates have already increased in the last year and will continue to do so as lending practices are reformed and banks recover losses. Rental prices will increase as the middle class continues to be locked out of the housing market. The U.S. job market will become bleaker as companies cut costs to buoy their declining stock prices and globalization causes outsourcing. Try to get a company provide any benefits beyond expensive medical. Generation Y will have no pension and will be investing in a sliding stock market. 401Ks will probably be taxes to reduce government debt. They’ll be luck to have any medical funded in as they near retirement. Forget time to re-train, let alone companies funding it. They’ll be putting in 60 hour work weeks. I am not of Gen Y, but they have a valid complaint that their parents screwed up their chances assuming the same financial independence. Boomer,s continue reverse-mortgaging your homes, which are declining in value, to pay for your ‘deserved’ vacations. Buy the kids a few T-shirts.