Yeah, it's a lot of money to commit to up-front, but it's oddly specific, few people are gonna agree to it, and they could easily just ask to cut the checks directly to the school.

How is getting someone else to pay for your schooling not a con?

Well, if someone says "please pay for my schooling," and you agree, and then your money is actually used for schooling, I think it's a bit of a stretch of the definition of "con" to call it one. Both parties are clear about what's happening -- seems more like a gift than a swindle.

A con is asking someone to pay for one thing and then doing something else with the money.

When it is an investment in the next generation?

Most of the time it's just called "parenthood."