This keeps forcing me to take the American opportunity credit. How so i strickly take the lifetime learning credit?

Generally speaking, the IRS lets you take only one education credit or deduction. If you qualify for two or more education credits or deductions, the TurboTax Education Optimizer picks the one that gives you the biggest tax break.

To override this selection:

1. Sign in to TurboTax and open or continue your return
2. Search for letme (one word, no space), and select the Jump to link
3. On the Education Credits and Deduction screen, you can switch to a different education credit or deduction, assuming you meet the qualifications