<p>Strawberries: "What about kids like me who want to go to a school that costs over $200,000 and have parents who have substantial income and assets but won’t pay for my education? "</p>
<p>What children have to realize is that the money their parents make is the parents’ money to spend or not spend as they like. Lots of kids every year are in the same position and it affects families whose incomes range around $200K a year, which sounds incredible to many people. However, many parents are nearing retirement age and with what just happened with the market, spending $50 to $60K a year on an undergraduate education doesn’t seem prudent to the fiscally conservative among us. It would be helpful for upper middle class parents to say right up front to their kids: “We are willing to spend _________ a year for your education.” Many, many parents say they will spend what a state school costs and anything above that is the child’s responsibility. Although today, that can be a very big gap.</p>
<p>The problem is that tuitions have skyrocketed. When I was a student, the Pell grant paid for my tuition and books. It’s a pity it doesn’t go that far today.</p>