I'm still paying off tens of thousands in school loans as my oldest applies to college. My financial burden is shaping her approach.

The author, shown with her daughter, says that her lingering student loan debt has impacted how her kids think about college.

Courtesy of Kate Loweth.

• My parents paid for my undergrad degree. I can't do the same for my three kids.
• I took out loans to cover grad school expenses, and I'm still paying them off.
• My teens are finding creative solutions to minimize potential debt when they head off to college.

When I went to college, I don't remember having any discussion with my parents about finances.