Financial Aid --- can anyone get unsubsidized federal loans? Kid's contribution to college costs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm bumping this, because I'm interested in what more families are doing. College is sooo expensive compared to when my parents paid for mine, so I don't know what the best strategy it.

Our income it too high to get any financial aid.
I've saved in 529's and can pay about $35k/year toward college (basically full costs at in state university). And I push my kids to get the best grades they can, because I know it can mean $5k-$15k merit aid per year).

I want them to have "skin in the game", but honestly my Junior's $12/hr part-time job will not even make a dent in tuition. So, do I just have her work for spending money?

Any good plans to share?

We said they have the cover books and spending money which means they need to earn money during the summer. We will cover the rest of the college costs up to 40K/year (which would be a combination of 529 and current income). For any cost above 40K they will need merit and/or unsubsidized loans. They focused their college search on public colleges (both in-state and out of state) and places where they could get merit aid.