Definitely after college. Speaking as a college student myself, I have to say that the freedom of being in college with no deep commitments is a very important experience, something that many people benefit, and would benefit, from. At no other point in your life as a young person will you have the option (even if you don’t have the means, i.e. money, time, etc., you at least still have the option) to just pack up and go anywhere, to have lunch or dinner or drinks with friends on a whim, to stay out as late as you want…granted, not everyone needs this experience, but I think it is important for people to experience this freedom…after living under your parents rules for 17 or 18 years and then going straight to marriage and parenthood, I think you would be short-changing yourself of a lot of great experiences and freedom as a young person. When you have children, you basically can’t do anything or go anywhere without doing a good amount of planning—finding a babysitter, having the money to both pay for the babysitter and the cost of wherever you are going. If you take a vacation, you either have to bring your children with you and miss out on some activities that you would like to do but are not child friendly, or, again, find and pay for a babysitter. I’m certainly not saying that having children is not worth it…but I think when you’ve been to college, had a lot of freedom for 4+ years, you’re more ready and willing to take on the responsibilities of parenthood and less likely to have regrets about your choices.
In addition, going to college often means you get a better paying job in a more professional workplace, which means that when you do have children, you have a better chance of receiving paid maternity, and possibly paternity, leave. It is also more likely that you have saved up a larger amount of money than those who have not been to college, and therefore are more likely to have the option of having one parent stay at home with the young child as long as possible. I also think it sets a good example for your children to have put such a strong priority on your education and to have waited until you graduated and had a stable career before starting a family and taking on those responsibilities.