re: Is a parent responsible to pay for their kid's college?

Are they obligated to? No.

But if they’re financially able to do so, it’ll give their kid a leg up when they get out if they can. And if the parents are helping foot the bill they should be allowed to set some boundaries on what would result in them pulling that assistance (i.e. specific major, GPA, etc.)

Mine didnt pay for me, I dont plan to pay for mine. I did much better than the group I graduated high school with becuase I had to pay my own way. Otherwise I would have drank and partied myself out of tops and out of college just like they did.

My children will receive help with some expenses If they major in a useful field. Science, Medical, F&A, or technology.

If they want to be a art major they can pay for that themselves.

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It was tough just to get tax returns from my dad to show I had a financial need so I could get pell grants/loans

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This. My my dad was a drug addict and my mom would never pay for shite for me but she sure as hell kept filing me on her taxes so I couldn't meet the two year minimum of self-sufficiency in order to qualify for FAFSA grants and private student loans even though I had been living on my own and supporting myself for years.

GI Bill

Are they obligated? No. Would I if I had children? Absolutely.

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No but if you can I think it’s admirable

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There's nothing admirable about giving somebody a free ride. How can so many of you sit here and complain about the welfare state enabling laziness in the lower classes and then turn around and pass along that same sentiment and lesson to your kids?

Granted, if your kid is already really fiscally responsible, mature and knows what they want to do with their life but you don't want them racking up the debt and wasting interest payments to a bank, then that's different. But how many 18 year old adults actually meet that criteria?

I'm going to instruct my kids, throughout all their upbringing, to experiment with lots of different hobbies and take on lots of little side jobs in different industries to try to figure out what their passions are and then chase those passions through whatever avenues are available to them.

If they show a penchant for for building things or crafts maybe they go to trade school and go to work for a small business as a trim carpenter or maybe they are entrepreneurial and hard-working so they save their pennies can start a cabinet shop or or maybe they go to four year college and major in Business Administration with a construction management minor and take a position for large public bid contractor.

Your job as a parent is to provide opportunities and advice not a blank check. They'll value their education and path in life much more if they do it on their own and that includes paying their own way. There's a valuable lesson in that. They'll come out on the other end with a much greater appreciation for what they've built.

If my kids decide to chase some career opportunity, whether thats loans to start a small business, loans to go to trade school or loans to go to four-year College, and I have the money, I would probably act as a bank for them. But I would make sure they would still have to pay me back, not because I'm greedy or because I want the money but because I want them to take ownership of it and I don't want them to have to be a party to usury

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I know I’m not obligated to pay for college, but I’ll do what I can so my children don’t start out with 50, 60, 70 thousand in student loans. Grant you they do work during the summer and have part time jobs during the school year. That’s their own money, it helps them learn about budgeting, saving and everyday money matter

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This is my plan and if they are screwing off in school I would stop paying tuition immediately

My plan is to require them to take out loans to cover everything, and agree to pay them off as long as they graduate in 4 years. If they mess up and turn it into something else..they can pay back the loans on their own.