My parents paid for my college education (BA only), and I fully intend to pay for my son’s.
I paid every expense left after scholarships by myself. At the time I was still in the family house rent-free, though. I don’t have kids, but I think if I did I wouldn’t pay their tuition unless they couldn’t do it readily themselves by an accommodating work schedule or some past windfall in trust (lottery, insurance payoff, etc). Then I’d probably issue an interest-free loan, whatever I could afford. It would depend on how my kids turned out, but in general I’d feel they should be able and motivated to take some responsibility for themselves at that point. I’d try to help them avoid student loans if at all possible, though, those things can really ruin lives. Either way, I wouldn’t seek rent help from kids still in school unless I was poor enough to really need it.
Dad paid for books - he knew if he paid for classes, I’d have no vested interest in going or doing well. He also helped by cosigning a car loan. Mom gave me a place to live until my 2nd year, then had no interest.
I paid for my own and did not live at home. My parents offered to pay for most of it, but if I took their money I’d have to take my Dad’s shit. I don’t want to take any shit, I’m not in the shit business.
I think it’s nice that people want to help their kids with college, but I have to admit I shake my head at people who feel it is their responsibility. If you can do it easily, then great. If you save for it while your children are young, fantastic. People who go into debt at a time when they should be saving for their own retirement? Wow.
In my parents’ case it was feeling it was their responsibility as part of having children, and having the resolve and good fortune to be able to save for it ahead of time. If they had had to go into debt, well, I don’t think they would have.
I guess it’s a certain mindset that says having kids means giving them the wherewithal to make it on their own and a college education can be seen as necessary for that.
I’ve paid every single dime. 'course, I’m also pay my own mortgage and buy my own securities. The Army and the fed gov’t give me about $10k a year, I pay the extra $2k. Mom hasn’t given me a dime since I was 17, save for free board for a few months when I was 19.
My grandparents started buying savings bonds when I was born. As soon as I started making money as a kid (other then allowance) about 25% of that went into the college fund.I worked every summer, saving money, and except for my freshman year, I worked while in school. I managed to graduate with a loan for 1 semesters tuition.
I’m all for kids paying for at least part of their college costs. I believe that it leads to there being more of a sense of ownership of the education. It’s hard to party your way to an F when you’ve worked to pay for part of that education.
That being said, we (no kids of our own) are saving money for our nieces/nephews college funds. If it can be avoided, they don’t need to rack up loans that will take years and years to pay off.
My awesome grades in high school paid about $40k.
The federal government paid for about $30k.
I paid (or rather, am in the process of repaying) about $10k.
I’m going to probably end up paying another $40k before I’m through.
The first time I went to college, I had a small scholarship, a small loan, and I paid the rest out of money I’d been earning and saving for years. I lived at home and my folks didn’t charge me rent because they knew all my earnings were going for school. Being the first of 5 kids with a stay-at-home-mom, I knew there was no way they’d be sending me to school. Plus they informed me years before that since my brother would be supporting a family, so he’d be getting the tuition. :rolleyes: This same brother is divorced and childless… Anyway, after only 2 semesters, I quit and joined the Navy.
Second time I went to college, it was as part of a Navy commissioning program. I used my GI bill to cover my tuition and I was still drawing my pay, so that covered everything else.
When our daughter was about 2, we enrolled her in the Florida Prepaid College Program, so her tuition was covered for 4 years. Then she got a Bright Futures full scholarship, and she worked part time, so we sent her an allowance to help cover her expenses. She managed to graduate without taking any loans. Much as I wanted more kids, at this point, I’m glad we only have the one.
:: sheepishly kicks at the dirt ::
My grandmother left a trust that paid for the tuition, room/board, and books, for all 9 of her grandchildren. For a woman who was penniless and on the street on her own at age 14, she did pretty well for herself. I worked jobs before school and during summer to pay for spending money, clothes, etc.
I paid for my own master’s degree.
My wife worked her way through college - her parents couldn’t have helped her financially even if they wanted to - wasn’t an option. Naturally, I take occasional shit from her about this topic. 
We’ve told our own kids that they need to earn scholarships, but we intend to help them out.
Federal aid paid for school, and I lived at home.
Undergraduate: Various scholarships paid for roughly 60-65% of tuition expenses. Family paid for the rest.
Graduate: Expenses paid for by federal loans.
I had a small scholarship which I used to partially fund textbooks. My parents paid for undergrad out of nest eggs they’d put aside and/or invested when I was born. I lived on campus, no car.
Undergrad: Mostly parents and student loans, with some scholarships
Grad school: NSF for a few years, the school for a couple of years (tuition waiver for assistantships), me out of pocket for one year (I worked out that I had more time to do research if I paid for tuition with contract programming than by being a TA)
Law school: My employer, but I paid back 1/3 when I left the job before I had been out for three years.
I think I’ve got something like $8k of the undergrad and grad loans still outstanding. I have them on autopay and don’t really think about them. I’d pay them off with cash, but the interest rate is lower than the bank accounts I’d take the cash out of.
My father paid for all of mine, though I think he had help from my great aunt who never had any children. I fully intend to pay for my children as well, my 2yo already has 12k in the bank, we’ll soon be moving it to a 529 plan.
What I don’t understand is that it doesn’t take much to build up money over the years, especially if you start young. Granted my father did give us some money for the baby so that helps too. However we went to a financial planner a few weeks ago. The woman said we need to max out the 401 before we save anywhere else, this includes college savings. She then said to pay for college get a home equity loan!? That I don’t get why should I put myself into dept that late in life.
I got a Pell grant and a student loan; should have gotten a scholarship, but didn’t know to apply for one; zero guidance. Lived at home for a while, then was homeless for a few days, then shared a place with my brother.
I was surprised to find that some students not only have their parents pay for tuition and boarding, but expect Mummy and Daddy to pay for Spring Break trips. Must be nice.
My parents paid for my first year of college, then I dropped out. When I was 33, I entered community college, moved back in with my parents, and worked as a security guard at night to pay my tuition. When I finally received my BS last year at age 53, my university credits had been about 90% paid for by various employers, the rest by me.
I joined the Air Force first, then started college after serving four years. I had my G.I bill benefits, plus I am a “War Orphan”. That added a little something to what I received from the Veteran’s Administration.
The VA benefits didn’t cover everything, but coupled with part-time jobs during school and full time summer work, I got through in five years without any debt.
A couple of times I got caught a little short and my grandfather bailed me out. That was never more than $100, and this I always repaid at the first of the next month
Undergrad: Parents paid for my tuition, room and board and books at a state school. If I wanted anything else it was up to me to find the resources. Seemed like a good deal to me at the time.
Grad school: I was on my own, really by choice as I felt like I’d milked my parents long enough. I had a teaching fellowship that covered most of the direct school costs and my mom would slip me $100 for books at the beginning of each semester. I was confident they would have helped me out if I needed it.
Years later, I’ve found out that my parents were funding my sibling much more lavishly. I was just too stupid to ask I guess. Ah, well, that might explain why my dad kept calling me the “only responsible one.”
My sons: I am paying for the same - Tuition, room, board, books. They were told “it’s time to move out” and they had the choice: go to college and I’ll pay or get a job, learn a trade and make your way in life. Duh, they chose 4 years of fun and learning over jumping right into hard work. And as long as they are advancing well I’ll keep paying. What else should I do with my money that’s better than helping my kids?