<p>I do not think parents are “obligated” to pay for college. Some families cannot. My own could not, due to medical issues of one, now-deceased, family member.</p>
<p>I did it myself, but granted, that was in a different age, when you could actually afford to go to college and still live in your own place, which is what I did. I also had the benefit of not being hamstrung by the unreasonable current rule that you be 24 or over to get any aid at all. On what planet are you not an adult until age 24? Gee, my kids have “adult mouths” for purposes of charging me more when they go to the dentist and they are still mid-teens! </p>
<p>I was younger than 24 and could not have managed today, without those few grants I got. </p>
<p>That said, we did plan ahead and attempt to provide for our kids’ education, with rental properties, instead of living in a nicer house ourselves. The bonus is that they earn free rides, a house is theirs to sell for grad school, keep, or whatever they choose. But the onus is still on them to make it work out to their best financial advantage, given what they would like to do.</p>