<p>this has been bothering me for awhile now: I live in an upper middle class town, and all i ever here is my friends saying their parents will only allow them to apply to state schools or that if they want to attend a private school, they must borrow to pay for it themselves. Yet these are the same students who go on vacation to the islands 5 times a year, pay thousands of dollars for summer camp, and get brand new cars for their birthdays. I am probably one of the poorer people in my town, yet i am blessed to have never had to really worry about tuition costs because my parents have carefully saved money for my education. I do not doubt that there are some people who truly cannot afford college. However, for most upper middle class families, is it that they can't **pay for college, or that they **don't want to pay for college?</p>
<p>Well... I get what you're saying, but parents paying for state schools <em>are</em> paying for college. They may have different priorities than your parents (which has worked out well since this seems to be in sync with your own college plans) but some people also may feel private colleges just aren't worth the money. I'm not saying they're not, just saying people get to have different priorities in life. That's okay. </p>
<p>If the kids you know that aren't able to get their way paid through privates, though, are disturbed about it they probably should have taken the money for the new birthday car, spendy summer camps, etc. and asked their parents to put it aside for their college costs. It's a having your cake and eating it too issue.</p>
<p>Most kids in this country don't get either and don't have parents able to pay their way through state school.</p>
<p>Its ok i guess for the parents to decide to make their children responsible for their education, but to just expect your child to go to a state school instead of a possibly better private school isn't fair if you are in fact able to pay for it.</p>