Kids Who See School as a "Necessary Evil"

This is a tough one. How does one decide where to draw the line on college costs. Do you just send him off to a CC and then a LSC? Or do you allow him/her to reach higher? Would parents here object to handing over $100K + of your hard earned money to a child who really does not care? Would this “does not care” attitude carryover to the workplace? Will that person grow up to me the one who does the minimum? Never volunteers for extra? Is not the one who comes in first and leaves last? These are really tough choices for a parent.