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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The recent thread about paying for college has me wondering. What do you think is your obligation to your children regarding secondary education?  How much does it depend on your income/wealth?

Personally, we are striving for four years of in state tuition/room/board for our two kids.  We'll probably get there, but just barely.  Our HHI is 450K, but we just got there and our oldest is four years from college.  But I honestly think that is all I would pay regardless of my ability...  I'm not sure I see a guaranteed difference in outcomes between say UMD and Vassar that would justify the experiences we would forfeit to get there...

Just wondering what others' perspectives are on this?[/quote]

I paid my way through college and law school. The debt was crippling in starting an adult life and dictated many choices for me (the job I had, where I lived, etc.) I worked multiple jobs through school (both) as well as after. I will not do that to my child.

I feel it is an obligation to set up our children for a successful start to life after HS and paying for college is part of that. So we will be doing so and have saved aggressively for it. We will likely also contribute or pay for grad school.

I also do not buy into the "they'll work harder" or "they'll learn the value of hard work" by footing the bill. That's BS. You're kid is either a hard worker or they aren't. I was. And I had a difficult path balancing everything to make it through and still be left with the debt. (I was first gen, from recent immigrant family, where no one went to college. School was my only option to "get out" and do other things. So, taking on the debt was my only choice.) I went to school, particularly law school, with lots of rich, trust fund kids who had school paid for, nice apartments, cars, never had to eat ramen noodles for dinner for weeks on end, etc. They were very fortunate. They also happened to be very hard workers who did well. By contrast, I knew students in my situation who failed out, did poorly. You either got it or you don't. Paying for college doesn't change that. [/quote]

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