1) Fill out the FAFSA. This will determine if you are eligible for financial aid. Go here:

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

2) Once you are eligible for aid, choose a government-based student loan. The best loan to get is a Federal Perkins Loan. These have low interest rates and the government will help you pay it back as long as you stay enrolled in school. You also don’t need a cosigner or good credit for it. For more info go here:

http://www.studentfinancedomain.com/student_loans/perkins_student_loans.aspx

3) The next best loan to get is a Subsidized Stafford Loan. This has many of the same benefits as a Perkins Loan. Learn more here:

http://www.studentfinancedomain.com/student_loans/subsidized_stafford_loan.aspx

4) You can also try to get a grant or scholarship, which is free money that you won’t have to pay back. Look here:

FedMoney.org Home

http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

http://www.freegovmoney.net/

http://www.educationplanner.com/education_planner/paying_article.asp?sponsor=2859&articleName=Grants_and_Scholarships

http://www.studentawards.com/

http://www.college-scholarships.com/

Good luck!

2nd: Visit http://www.studentloan.org/. It is a private loan that I had to get when I didn’t have enough aid to pay for my residence hall. You should not need a co-signer.

3rd: Get a job, its a bad idea to count on financial aid to pay for your rent and living expenses. Have you figured how much your books will cost? What if you have to buy some expensive supplies for a class (such as art!) Never count on Financial aid to pay for stuff other than school, if you have extra that just a plus.