Parents encouraging kids that they will pay if they get into good college

[MotherOfDragons]

I have a friend who paid full COA for two of her kids (one at Cornell, one at Tufts) but refused to pay for a mediocre private college for the one kid (was the oldest, too) who had mediocre grades and stats. They wouldn’t pay any more than what it costs to go to a SUNY - so that is where he went. They are very wealthy, too.

I know this because she told our whole tennis group.

That’s why I love playing tennis, you learn so much

Seriously, though, I can understand where she is coming from. You have one kid who works their butt off to get into a great school, and one kid who does not. I’m not so sure it makes sense to throw our hard-earned money at the kid who isn’t working hard. (and let’s assume for the sake of argument that the kid mentioned above is capable of doing all their homework and getting A’s, but simply isn’t driven, rather than an undiagnosed whatever).