I think the bigger question is how serious are they about being a student, making grades, and having a plan for why they are in school. If the answer to that is not clear I would have them get a job and if they at some point in the future can show they are taking those things seriously, great. I'm also a fan of kids having skin in the game when it comes to college. Not so much that it puts them in a vice grip after they graduate but enough that they realize the value of money and the opportunity they have. If it is what they want they will take things that much more seriously and work that much harder because they have a greater sense of ownership, you can always find ways to reward their efforts if they perform really well. We did a loan through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board fwiw.
Both of my boys have a very serious approach to college and are immersed in understanding the finance aspect of it. They will both likely graduate with modest loans but are strong students in fields that pay well and they will knock them out in short order. My eldest has friends who treated college like 13th Grade and are kind of aimlessly wandering through if they haven't flunked out. Many others have crushed it. His best friend decided to forgo college and went to work for his Dad selling insurance. He's now a couple years in and will probably make $80k this year and is building a real business before the age of 21, he will be way ahead of his friends that just went to school and got a generic degree.
The world is a cruel and unfair place, it's important to make sure your kids understand that. They don't need to fear it but they do need to know they are very blessed to have the opportunities they have and if they don't then they need to find another path. The natural reaction for most kids is to always look at others they know who they perceive to have more or to have an easier life and not to those who would trade places with them in an instant for a fraction of the opportunities they have. It's also so easy for them to fall into the excuses trap instead of realizing that life isn't fair and sometimes you have to just push through and find a way. I'll admit I'm also jaded as I know so many folks I work with who busted their ass to be at the top of their class to have a chance to come to the US and find a way to pay for school and work through the visa process.
Always make sure they know you love them and you are on their side but love isn't just writing endless checks. Some kids need a good dose of reality to grow up. That said it is the hardest job in the world for a reason to raise kids.
