I was able to go to college because one of my parents died and there was a little insurance money. Lucky me!

I paid for my undergrad and law school by myself...no loans and not a single dime from my parents. I had only one kid so that we could pay 100% of their tuition. I don't think people should have kids unless they can afford to pay.

Another Midwesterner here who put myself through college and grad school in the 90s. Understanding in our middle-class family was always that you go to college but you pay for it yourself, and I went to a great, solid state school for undergrad where I got through entirely on a mix of scholarships and waitressing income. I did take out about $40K for grad school and went nose to the grindstone for about 8 years to pay that off since my initial salary out of school was about that much in total. Never regretted it and definitely see some entitlement and sloppier work ethic in some of my colleagues whose parents paid for their undergrad/grad school (not all, of course - but it's a certain type of attitude I never see in anyone who paid for their own education).

I expect my kid to pay for at least some of her college education if not all. The slashing of state investment in higher ed over the last couple decades has undoubtedly made it harder for many kids to pay the full cost of tuition - though there are still plenty of great, relatively inexpensive state schools and if DD wants to go to a super-expensive "college of her dreams" with the idea that she'll come out a public school teacher, she's gonna have to figure out how to pay for most of it herself for sure (yeah, I'm looking at you, Martin O'Malley, geez).

Many people I know paid their own way through college. I had a full ride due to an academic scholarship. My 5-yr Ph.D. program was also covered--tuition was waived and I had a graduate research assistantship that provided a small stipend; this is standard in my field. I took out a little in student loans for spending money, but that's it.

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one?! I feel like it. I come across sooo many people who were lucky enough for their parents to pay for college. My loans have increased $12,000 in interest since the 8 years I’ve been out of college. It just sucks....

ARMY ROTC scholarship paid for my college education. Then I paid for my own Masters (while working) and Law Degree (with loans).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know has or had some kind of student debt or went into the military. Maybe branch out your friend group beyond the silver spoon crowd.

Was reading this out of interest and have to say - I'm a person whose parents paid and not at all in the silver spoon crowd. I went to community college (free with scholarship) and then public uni in the 90s, and my parents paid a grand total of @$6k for my education. Obviously this is pre-inflation because they would not have been able to do this at today's rates. I am thankful beyond words that they could do that, especially after I moved here and met so many with student loans.

Question for you all whose parents didn't pay - what are you planning for your own kids?

Your parents contributing $6k towards your last 2 years of college is not equivalent to parents "paying for college".

Anonymous wrote:Everyone I know has or had some kind of student debt or went into the military. Maybe branch out your friend group beyond the silver spoon crowd.

Was reading this out of interest and have to say - I'm a person whose parents paid and not at all in the silver spoon crowd. I went to community college (free with scholarship) and then public uni in the 90s, and my parents paid a grand total of @$6k for my education. Obviously this is pre-inflation because they would not have been able to do this at today's rates. I am thankful beyond words that they could do that, especially after I moved here and met so many with student loans.

Question for you all whose parents didn't pay - what are you planning for your own kids?

Of course you aren't the only one.

I borrowed 40k, worked 3 jobs throughout college and got lots of merit and need based aid. My university was 40k a year.

I am still paying off the last bits of the loans 12 years later but feel it was well worth it.

I did a fellowship program for grad school and paid nothing for two Masters.

Everyone I know has or had some kind of student debt or went into the military. Maybe branch out your friend group beyond the silver spoon crowd.

Anonymous wrote:My parents did not pay anything for tuition. I was very fortunate to not have to pay anything either. I come for a country with very good, free public education.

Nothing in life is "free."

Anonymous wrote:While around here, it is common to have your education paid for by your parents, it was not at all the norm where I grew up. I was raised in the midwest. I went to a public university for college and an out of state public university for law school. I did this with no funds from my parents. I came out with 6 figures of debt. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I paid off all of my loans 15 years out of law school. I realize school is a lot more expensive today than it was when I went but it was worth the investment.

I'm also from the Midwest, and my parents did not pay. I had a full ride for the first four years, then paid for the next four myself. I came out six figures in debt, as did my spouse, and it will take me 19 years to pay mine and 25 years for his. It absolutely was not worth it. School is no longer worth the type of investment it takes to go to med school or law school, IMO, unless you are a very specific individual (biglaw, high paying medical, etc). But, people around here often have parents pay for it.

DH paid for every cent of his education - National Guard and working through college.

I went to university in Europe where tuition is often free. The country I am from changed it from being free (when I attended) to fee based, which has excluded huge numbers of talented and clever people from what was once "free education for all".

My parents paid nothing for me for college or law school. I went to a lower-rated undergrad because of the lower tuition and because I was naive about financial aid and loans, etc. It still irks me. Even so I had to work part-time all eight semesters. I went to a top law school, in part, to get over having had to downgrade my undergrad due to finances. Meanwhile, my only sibling didn't work during college and pledged a frat ($$). I'm assuming he got money from my parents, but no one mentions it.

My parents did not pay anything for tuition. I was very fortunate to not have to pay anything either. I come for a country with very good, free public education.