It is better to save a smaller amount consistently. Practically no one has all the money needed for college. If you have many years before your first tuition, mutual stock funds can provide excellent long-term growth potential. Check them out. Invest mostly in your name, not your child's.
Some funds offer lower fees, and some waive minimum investments for fixed monthly deposits.
Ask the fund. Balanced mutual funds. Intermediate-term Treasuries and bond funds. Series EE savings bonds. If you began saving late, you don't have time to recover from the ups and downs of stock.