A college education has long been considered a pillar of the American Dream, but the recession has caused some people to wake up to a new reality regarding post-secondary education.

Many adults are thinking of going back to school, while some families see college as unaffordable and are skimping on saving for their children's education, according to SunTrust Banks.

Atlanta-based SunTrust's latest semi-monthly Solid Index, which looks at how finances influence people's lives, found that 43% of Americans are stopping or cutting back on saving money for their kids' and, in some cases, their own education due to the current economy.

Moreover, 63% of the 1,000 respondents believe that post-high school education in the U.S. has practically become unaffordable.

That said, many adults believe post-secondary education can help them navigate through the turbulent job market. The index found that 51% of parents and more than one-third of all adults are considering going back to school for more education.

Among other findings, the index found that 51% of Americans don't believe they're on course to retire the way they hope to.

It doesn't help that only 46% of respondents have a written action plan to achieve their retirement goals.