Applying for federal student aid is the starting point. Most scholarships and loans will ask you for information based on your eligibility status determined by the U.S. Department of Education. To fill out the agency's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, you will need to have: your Social Security number, federal tax form for the previous year and, if you are under the 24 years old, the same tax form for one of your parents.
According to the College Board website, three-quarters of students receive financial aid. However, most scholarships and federal financial aid require that students be enrolled full-time. Full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours, which is between three and four classes. If you don't meet full-time status, consider enrolling in an online course where you can study at your own pace and typically professors are more accessible via e-mail.
Missing a deadline means missing financial opportunities. All scholarships have deadlines and are targeted toward different students. For example, scholarships are available based on your field of study, gender and financial status. Start looking now because they often require preparation of documents, letters of recommendation, transcripts and personal essays.
It is vital to document everything properly, so make a cover sheet listing your documents. Scan them all electronically and save them in a USB flash drive or other electronic file that isn't online. This is important if you ever lose the original printed copy. Then file the original copies in a folder labeled with a title, academic year and your name. This process will save you time in the future when you need to find your information.