^ Stress to nibbling that S/he should not entrust any bank card, bank numbers, passwords, to parents, whatever the pretext given, and also after age 18 to check credit report regularly. There have been young posters here whose parents… Demanded their “cut” from the Pell Grant/financial aid… Started new credit cards in her name and didn’t pay, saddling her with debt… Used his/her numbers to check on him/her… Stole her credit cards while she was abroad. (Those are the ones I remember).
The family environment sounds toxic if not abusive (as in, playing mind games).
Is nibbling registered for October ACT? Practicing to increase score?
If you can tell nibbling “with a 23 you’ll get that much money back in scholarship* from the community college, and if you hit 24 $x”, it could be a goal.
Are you sure Emancipation in your state requires to be 18? It typically requires to be younger than 18?
BTW sounds like your sibling is outsourcing her kids’ education onto others, while making them pay for the privilege of being born as long as they’re with her. I know I sound harsh but the home situation sounds like a toxic environment, and not a new one since older siblings have all left and been taken in by other adults.
(* I know that’s not exactly how it works but since you’re ready to pay full tuition at the cc, the scholarship money could be seen as " saved" and the deduction put into a college account for the 4-year, or something…)
I say ‘emancipation’ meaning the parent can’t call the sheriff and get the kid dragged home.
That happens in current state for the latter of ‘turning 18 AND getting hs diploma’ or ‘turning 19’.
So if you graduate hs at 17 you aren’t an adult until age 18.
If you are 18 but don’t have a hs diploma you aren’t an adult until you obtain your hs diploma.
If you don’t get a hs diploma you aren’t an adult until 19.
Some states have a system to allow minors to emancipate earlier through the courts but we’ve looked into it and isn’t doable in nibling’s case.
The level of dysfunction described makes me wonder why family hasn’t intervened on behalf of these kids long before now. This doesn’t sound like parents not paying. We absolutely limit our kids budgets. What you are describing does not equate to just budget.
Nibling actually is ineligible to obtain hs diploma because state standard for math skills wasn’t met. I’m really trying not to throw too many to do tasks, since that is the primary objective - hs diploma - otherwise several more months in household.
Luckily, the school is doing intervention (since they are measured on student success rate) and nibling is diligently studying to pass. I will work with nibling next visit (unfortunately, don’t know when that will be exactly) to register again and pay for ACT (school paid last time) since retaking that and obtaining state’s minimum score in math would also fulfill requirement and a hs diploma could be awarded.
Retaking ACT would thus help with two goals. 
@MYOS1634
I keep looking for finding a bargain for an OOS with Ohio ambitions and I think this may fit the bill… University of Toledo is offering huge (10k+ merit aid)? for OOS starting at gpa’s of 2.75 and 20 ACT score. Am I reading this wrong? Do these look like automatic awards to you or competitive?
http://www.utoledo.edu/admission/freshman/scholarships/2018/out-of-state.html
^ True, excellent idea!!
It seems automatic indeed, and for 23/3.0 it becomes $12,500 a year. 25/3.5 weighted and it’s Honors College.
OOS tuition and fees add up to $18,500 so if OP lives near Toledo it may be doable?
Some of the Ohio directionals (UAkron, Youngstown State, Cleveland State…) also have low OOS tuition to begin with, have scholarships, and can be excellent bargains for relatively modest stats.
Just checked YSU: OOS COA is 23K, OOS tuition is 14K; they have a double structure: automatic scholarships ($2,000 for ACT 23, $1,000 for ACT 19, ), plus between 4,000 and 6,000, stackable with the previous, starting at ACT 19.
Am seeing rainbows literally and figuratively today. S did an amazing job on his ACT and will likely bump up in merit aid leaving more room in the budget and Nibling reported an improved GPA that may garner significant merit as well!
Good day on all fronts!
Congratulations to both!!