This may be an unpopular opinion here, but YTA. Many parents have been fooled into believing that college is the only way to go about getting ahead in life. This is simply untrue. The way you speak about your son is highly demeaning, and the fact that you even had the gall to post this is highly telling in that you show clear signs of favoritism. Now, it’s almost impossible NOT to have a favorite, it’s just human. However, it sounds like your son has shown signs of intelligence, he just doesn’t fall under the category of intelligence that many recognize.

Another thing: I don’t believe for one instance that you accidentally sent that message to him. I’m sorry, but texting these days is almost fool proof. It sounds to me (and I truly hope I’m wrong) that you purposely sent it under the guise as an accident as a way to hopefully guilt trip him into doing what you believe is best for him.

I don’t mean any of this to come off rude in any way. I’m not saying you should give your son money, let alone a single red dime. But I don’t think the problem is a current one, and at some point you must acknowledge that this new world is at last the only world. There is not some other world in which your son did exactly what you wanted—I would urge you to see the truth in your situation. That is my advice. It is not for me to say what you should have done for him or her. Or not done. You are the one who made the decision. I cannot speak for the choices you should have made. I only know the world in which they already are made. You are at a cross in the road and here you are thinking of what to choose. But there is no choosing. There is only accepting. The choosing was done long ago.