When you are in high school, you are listed as a dependent in your family. This means that your parents provide for you and take care of you. If you remain a dependent as you go to college, your parents' income will be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not you are eligible for college loans. Become an independent. This may or may not require your parents' taking you off of their health insurance. Your parents can still help you out with money and can still take care of you. However, if you claim that you are independent on your loan applications, only your own income can be taken into consideration, and you will be eligible for more money.
Begin by applying for every scholarship that you can find for which you are eligible. Applying for these scholarships will give you a chance to win money to put toward your schooling. Money that you put toward school that you don't have to pay back will let you take out fewer loans.
After you have applied for scholarships, turn your attention toward other financial aid. Apply for the full amount of aid that the school will give you. Leaving it open-ended will give the school a chance to allow you a high-end limit on financial aid. Then you can decide how much of the loan that is offered you will accept.