My 3 sons have each been very different, at different ages, as far as maturity, focus on work and the future, independence, willingness to listen to parents, etc. I'd like to think we parented them all the same way, but the outcomes are based on their personalities, their birth order, their friends, other mentors, a whole host of factors.
As a parent, you can think about, "what if he makes a choice I disagree with?" You can control what you are willing to pay for. But, you can't see all the variables either. Why do you think that a 40-something parent can make these decisions any better than a 17-year-old?