Assuming that the loans are limited to federal direct loans, this implies that the parents are willing to contribute by allowing the student to continue living with the parents. This cost is non-zero, but many people do not think of it as a cost, due to it being part of their usual household costs over the years. It generally is lower than if the student has to live away from the parents to go to college, which restricts the college options to those nearby, which can restrict academic options (e.g. majors available to the student).