Early 90s high school grad. My single mother was too busy working two jobs to care about my college search. Sometime during my senior year, she told me there was no college fund and I was on my own to figure out finances. I applied to in state colleges and went to the one that gave me a full ride.
By contrast, I am way more invested in my children’s educational journey. The clueless FGLI kid is now a highly educated professional who is engaged and knowledgeable about the college admissions process. I’ve taken them on college tours, they’re poised interviewees who know how to be interesting in person and on paper and, perhaps most importantly, they have the luxury of choosing a college based on fit not finances.