This study examined several aspects of family viewpoints regarding the financing of higher education. Data were collected via a telephone survey of 800 parents of college bound high school students and 300 college bound high school juniors and seniors. The survey examined attitudes in such areas as: the relative importance of financing college among families' other basic financial challenges; the perceived value of a college education from economic and quality of life perspectives; the level of responsibility felt by parents and students for financing a college education; and the expectations about sources of funding to be used for their child's education. Over 80 percent of parents indicated their belief that a college education was very valuable or indispensable to their child's financial well being and child's personal well being. Approximately 81 percent of college-bound high school juniors and seniors thought a college education was very valuable or indispensable. Ninety-two percent of parents indicated that a college education was the most important investment they would make for their child with almost one-third indicating that their children's college education was their first financial priority. Thirty-one percent of parents but only 8 percent of students felt that financing college was primarily a parental responsibility. Parents also expected financial aid to play a large role in defraying college costs. (CK)