I really don't like the idea of college loans, they cause you to start out with too much debt. As much as I would like to see my kids have the "life lesson" of paying for their own educations, I've told them I would pay for it.

When I was in college 30 years ago, I was able to pay my tuition with a minimum wage job; unfortunately those days are gone. If you really want a surprise, look into the cost of private secondary schools.

Regarding the person with the $100k loan, she is more likely to start at $50k per year and spend 10 years paying off her loans. Is unfortunate because it forces students to treat college as a trade school to recover their investment.