This is a good point. Her new stepmother has a Texas address. She can certainly go with him, take some community college or online courses until establishing residency. I don’t believe that the kids will ever want him to leave the area.There is a practical obstacle to attendance in Texas colleges…That of out of state tuition. You have to be a resident of Texas for, I believe, at least 1 year, to get a tuition break. Otherwise, it’s very expensive to pay out of state tuition levels. VERY expensive.
My vote is that the OP moves his wife to CA temporarily while his youngest daughter gets settled into a college. I would give it a year, if not two. His first responsibility is always to his children (well, after God, of course).
Wow! However, don’t you think a kid who is aiming for college needs to get her courses in order and some idea of what it is going to cost the family and where she’s going earlier than four months before her freshman year begins?Most students who are currently juniors have NOT yet applied to colleges. The application deadline is generally Jan. 1 of one’s senior year, and then they must decide by May 1, which is national decision day. After applying, one waits for decision letters and scholarship packages. You can do early action or early decision, but that is usually for students who know exactly what they want to do.
Most high schools have students taking what classes are required for college admission. However, you really DON’T know what it is going to cost, even based on published tuition costs, because of scholarships, grants, and financial aid packages, many of which are not announced until spring. The financial side of things is often not finalized until SPRING of senior year of high school. That is because the FAFSA must be filled out, and the FAFSA needs current year tax info. Tax day is April 15, and unless you have a very simplified tax return, most people cannot get their taxes completed in January, or even early February.Wow! However, don’t you think a kid who is aiming for college needs to get her courses in order and some idea of what it is going to cost the family and where she’s going earlier than four months before her freshman year begins?
In this case, it isn’t so much the idea of financial aid etc. The girl is not focused on anything. According to post #10, her grades are not good, she is rebelling and there’s a good chance she might not graduate. She’s in her junior year, yet Dad is already worried that she might not even get into college because she is not applying herself. Time to focus. If she does, her sister might reconsider having her live with them. Right now, they don’t want the reponsibility. Understandable. If she doesn’t mature, then she goes to Texas with Dad and works for a year or two until she finds her niche. And that experience can be very beneficial.Most high schools have students taking what classes are required for college admission. However, you really DON’T know what it is going to cost, even based on published tuition costs, because of scholarships, grants, and financial aid packages, many of which are not announced until spring. The financial side of things is often not finalized until SPRING of senior year of high school. That is because the FAFSA must be filled out, and the FAFSA needs current year tax info. Tax day is April 15, and unless you have a very simplified tax return, most people cannot get their taxes completed in January, or even early February.
One of my sons did not receive a scholarship until April of his senior year. Another received a scholarship to one college in October of his senior year, but did not receive one to another college (his first choice) until April!!
So to think she knows in her junior year of high school is very premature.
This part of the post really makes sense.Please try to see things from your youngest daughter’s point of view! She is only 17 and has no idea what to do at this point. You say she is floundering - what do you really think would happen if you just up and moved away? Where would she go? Will her sisters take her in? This is not their place to do, do you realize that? It is not fair to any of them to have you just pack up and disappear, leaving them to deal with your absence.
Something tells me you haven’t lost a parent at a young age, nor have you raised teenagers…I’ve done both.In this case, it isn’t so much the idea of financial aid etc. The girl is not focused on anything. According to post #10, her grades are not good, she is rebelling and there’s a good chance she might not graduate. She’s in her junior year, yet Dad is already worried that she might not even get into college because she is not applying herself. Time to focus. If she does, her sister might reconsider having her live with them. Right now, they don’t want the reponsibility. Understandable. If she doesn’t mature, then she goes to Texas with Dad and works for a year or two until she finds her niche. And that experience can be very beneficial.
Lost at young age and raised teenagers.Something tells me you haven’t lost a parent at a young age, nor have you raised teenagers…I’ve done both.
Their father does not stop being their father because he remarried. The youngest daughter SHOULD NOT be shuffled off onto her sisters to finish raising because he is impatient to get on with his “new life.” If he has put that across in any way, no wonder she is rebelling!
It is in NO WAY her sisters’ responsibility. Dad must fix things and not just cut and run.