<p>The problem with the last quote is that until the undergrad degree is reached, there is an expectation that parents help to fund college. How does one define adult? Most 18 year olds are still financially dependant upon their parents.</p>
<p>I will tell you a situation that I am aware of where there is a lot of financial aid help (private institutional merit and financial aid) to one family. Perhaps, Medwell, there are similar situations that you are observing. I know a family that has 4 children and 3 were in college at the same time last year (all expensive private colleges). All 3 students flew home for holidays (one attends school far away and the airfare is very expensive, the other 2 go to a school that is a 5 hour drive from their home). Additionally all 3 have I-phones with data plans! When one figures out the cost of each year for the 3 kids after FA packages, those parents are still paying quite a lot of money! I wondered how the parents were paying for all of “the extras” too. As it turns out, the parents cannot afford the flights and after one Thanksgiving where the oldest college student did not come home, a family member thought this was wrong and he is buying the plane tickets for all 3 students for their breaks. Additionally, this same family member has provided I-phones and data plans to the 3 students. I guess he could have provided a car that remained in his name, but he did not (perhaps this the type of situation that you are seeing and wondering about). I only happen to know the details because one of the college students just told us. It is none of our business, but he was just open about it all in a conversation.</p>