Although a little awkwardly worded, I believe what the parent meant is that the cost of education is actually higher than the tuition makes it seem, because of

Although a little awkwardly worded, I believe what the parent meant is that the cost of education is actually higher than the tuition makes it seem, because of the lost opportunity. If you can earn $40,000 at a job, but instead elect to take a $20,000 job and go to school at the same time, the cost for that year is tuition (let's assume that $75,000 figure) plus another $20,000 in opportunity costs, or $95,000. $115,000 for the year if you decide to not work at all during that time.