re: Is undergrad college worth it?

Some very good questions. I'm about in mid-life and asking myself those same questions, first about my education, then about how to pay for others' college.

Item 1: My pops paid for both degrees and I wish he didn't. I'm not asking to pay him back, but putting me on the hook for a piece of each would probably have given me a bit more direction.

Item 2: Of any practical skills I took away from college, I could have absolutely learned them from a far cheaper community college or tech course. Also, all of those skills and lessons were significantly amplified because I worked a lot during college and grad school. My practical experience really amplified my learning because I was already out there doing things they talked about. That was a big positive.

Item 3: The benefits of a college education were the network it got me, learning how to network better, soft skills, etc... I have had quite a few hookups in life because I worked the connection magic like crazy, and I wish I had done more!

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With tuition and student loan taking over the whole industry and skyrocketing, do you really think it’s worth a 4-6 year lag in your career/expenses for a social experience?

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Free advice here, take it for what its worth since I don't know you. But if I had six kids and an income short of magnificent, this is what I would do:
- make it clear when they are 12-14 that they are on the hook for half of undergrad
-promote some exposure to different careers, internships, co-ops during high school, maybe a year of work in sales or something in-between high school and undergrad. This will lend some real-world perspective that will give direction and amplify lessons in classes like accounting or econ
-in-state college, very useful degree (business, engineering, education, etc)
-minimum 3 years after undergrad for graduate, if not 5-7.
-make sure they understand college is not about getting a card punched, IE average grades and dorm life. Participation in extra-curriculars will be a plus. Club sports, greek life, internships, study groups, a professional relationship with professors, all have served me really well in life. These things will teach your kid to embrace a tough situation, negotiate, give-and-take, get in the door, burn the midnight oil, and generally exceed the expectations.

Also some follow-through after college is important. Even if only for a few years, life in a big city working and socializing with a bunch of young professionals is a huge deal for your career. Living in apartments near hundreds of other up-and-coming guys and girls in places like Atlanta, Chicago, etc.. is a great way to get a better job, meet friends, have a dating life, and overall amplify your twenties. We've all scattered across the country now but still stay in touch with our twenties friends from the city as much as our college friends.

Of course all this assumes they want college. I know a lot of guys in my industry that kick some major arse and make six figures with a trade school education. They are very productive and spent a few years in the field then graduated to management. This path, despite being "not cool" according to assholes like Joe Biden and his friends, will be available for plenty of years to come.