Whether you are a graduate student or an undergraduate student depends upon the degree you are seeking. If you enroll in a program that leads to a graduate or professional degree (a master's degree, for example), then you are a graduate student.
The 1098-T for a graduate student is marked with a graduate student checkbox, which may be why your tax preparer made this decision.
Since the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) has a slightly higher limit, many taxpayers and tax preparers will choose to use the Lifetime Learning Credit in a year when the benefit would be equal to any benefit received from the AOTC. This allows the taxpayer to save the AOTC for use in a year when it could be more valuable.
If you feel like the AOTC would have been better for you in 2018, it is possible to amend the return to claim it. For most part-time students, the Lifetime Learning Credit is a better option.
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