I am fortunate enough to have my parents pay for my education. My dad worked his butt off to pay for his education, so he feels that the biggest gift he could give my brother and I is our education. They've paid for tuition, dorm, books, etc. but if we wanted extra spending money, we had to work (we always have). Also, they only paid 4 years of college - no more. If we failed or something to that effect, it was our responsibility to pay for that. Oh, also, we had to get good grades. We have to show we're doing our very best since they're doing their very best for us too.
I think every family chooses. If you have enough money to pay for your kids, I think it's great; it lessens the stress of schoolwork and finances. HOWEVER, if you can't afford it, student loans are no big deal. My husband went to private school and he worked hard for it. The important thing is to support and encourage your children to go to college no matter what. In this day and age it's crucial to have an education.
