I have one in high school (sophomore) and one in junior high (8th grade).

Instead of putting money away in their names, I am paying down current debt (car, house, etc.). I am trying to free up as much income as I can to help pay for college.

I have told the kids that I will be able to pay a certain amount towards college. Any amount above what I can pay is up to them. They will have to work, get loans, and get scholarships. That may put a damper on plans to go to CalTech or some other $45,000 per year college.

I feel optomistic on the scholarships. They have each taken the ACT and SAT as practice runs during junior high and have scored in the 50% to 60% range compared to high school juniors.

We are also encouraging them to take as many AP classes in high school as they can handle. The ones they score well in now are that many more classes they will not have to take in college.

Many local organizations sponsor scholarships, too (Kiwanis, VFW, etc). If you get your kid to contact them and find out what the requirements are, then you can aid in meeting them. Often they ask for an essay or something.

Your child can use the local media to publicize his/her charitable/socially conscious efforts. Small town papers are often starved for material, and if you take the time to write the story and provide a photo, they'll jump at it. (It's free, too).

When I was a ked, The University of California system was essentially 'free' for residents. Does anyone know whether and how that's changed?