<p>Plan A (for high earning families): Do not save. Spend, spend, spend. Enjoy it all, knowing that your exceptional child will receive one of the gadzillions of totally free rides available to straight-A students headed to Ivies and other elites. They are a dime a dozen, so long as you don’t have a savings account. Laugh at the fools who saved and have to pay part or all of the sticker price.</p>
<p>Plan B (for high earning families): Plan ahead for college. Make it part of your overall financial plan, including your retirement plan. Amass enough to pay most or all of the sticker price for colleges of all levels of selectivity. Sacrifice a bit (or a lot) in your lifestyle, date of planned retirement. Be a tad wist-ful that you won’t get any or much of that “free” money going to some other families.</p>
<p>Plan B works for me. Plan A works for … um, er, Plan A works for … whom? I don’t think it works for anyone. Guess I’m stupid.</p>
<p>Oh, and if Plan A doesn’t work out quite as you planned (darling D or S not accepted to 100% need school; accepted but doesn’t get the financial aid package you counted on), have ready your eloquent speech on why s/he will not be going to the college of his or her choice. S/he won’t mind. She got to drive around in the Mercedes, go to Thailand, etc.</p>