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In this story, a stepdaughter blames her family for ruining her future despite her family doing their best to provide her with pay for college. Will the stepdaughter make the right choice on time, or will her future be ruined?
A Happy Family
The original poster (OP), whom we’ll refer to as Olivia, has a stepdaughter named Amelia, who’s graduating high school.
Henry, Olivia’s husband, is a disabled war veteran.
A Degree Worth Thousands
Henry married Olivia a few years after separating from Amelia’s mother.
Olivia also notes that Amelia’s mother has a degree that cost her 120K that she never used for her career.
Following Her Mother’s Footsteps
Amelia’s mother struggled to pay this debt off; even now, it’s unknown if she’s debt-free. Modeling after her mom, Amelia now believes she has to do the same.
Olivia, however, doesn’t feel this is the case. She knows the benefits students are entitled to since she works in enrollment at the local community college.
Declining Full College Funding
In fact, because of Henry’s service, Olivia knows Amelia is eligible for Department of Education assistance. This would cover Amelia’s four-year tuition and fees, except for books, housing, and other minor expenses.
Minor Drawbacks
The only minor drawback is that filing for this benefit can take 45 to 90 days. Olivia repeatedly urged Amelia to apply on her approaching 18th birthday but had no luck.
A Missed Opportunity
Amelia was recently accepted to attend a college totaling up to 50K annually. Despite the good news of her acceptance, things go downhill from here.
Clash of Opinions
Rather than applying for assistance, Amelia requested that Olivia and Henry co-sign her student loans because her mother refused to.
Tensions Rise for Family
Olivia insisted that Amelia try applying for Department of Education assistance, but she refused.
Amelia’s mother told Amelia that she wouldn’t qualify for these benefits, which Amelia believed. Naturally, Olivia disagreed since she constantly saw what students were eligible for while working there.
Weighing the Options
Olivia and Henry don’t feel comfortable co-signing for Amelia’s student loans when she has a free alternative.
What Olivia Really Thinks
Olivia states, “Her mother is telling her that I/we are wrong, when I have worked this job for 12 years and know what I’m talking out [sic].”
Stepdaughter’s Frustration and Refusal
Because of this, now Amelia is claiming that Olivia and Henry are “ruining” her future. Olivia loves Amelia, but she’s not prepared to sign off on years of debt when there’s a cost-effective alternative.
Relating to the Pain
“My boyfriend demanded I do that. I then had to drop out of the program I was in, because I still had to work, [and I] couldn’t do that and take classes at the same time. So my student loan debt is very largely inflated as a result.”
Sharing the Pain
“My guess is that her mom is letting her own bitterness with her loan burden guide her in her advice, a la ‘misery loves company.’”
Using Logic
“If the kid isn’t smart enough to listen to you, is she really smart enough to go to college yet? If she won’t do the work to get the aid, how can you trust she’ll do the work to get the degree?”
Stepdaughter’s Future Uncertain
It seems like Olivia did the best she could do to help Amelia without having any luck. Now Amelia is left feeling like her future has been ruined.
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