If the parties agreed that they will pay for college, then they are obligated to pay for college. If they have not agreed to pay for college or it has not been addressed in their case, there are a number of issues that the court will consider in allocating the cost of college, such as what is the relationship between the child and the parent from whom the child is seeking the college education to be paid. Did that parent have any input into the college selection process? Did the child apply for child aid by way of loans, scholarships, and grants? Did they discuss anything prior to the child applying for school? What were the child’s grades? What is the education of the parents? Are they parents who have doctorates and are now saying you can’t go to college? Or is the parent someone who never went to college and does not value a college education? All of those things are important in determining the allocation for payment of college and whether a parent is obligated to pay for college.
Alison C. Leslie, Esq. practices family law exclusively in her Morristown, NJ offices, where she offers her clients the individualized attention of a solo practitioner with the experience of a larger firm.
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