Fill out the FAFSA on the web at fafsa.ed.gov. Include all of your personal information and income records. Skip over any questions that pertain to your parent's income and information even though you may be a dependent. Submit the FAFSA application before the priority deadline for your school to be considered for all possible educational grant programs.
Contact the financial aid administrator at your college. Explain any usual or extenuating circumstances for why you did not include your parent's information. Special situations considered include an abusive family environment and parent's incarceration as listed on the official FAFSA website. Financial aid administrators make the final call as to whether your submitted FAFSA will be accepted without your parent's personal and financial information.
Review the results of your financial aid package at your school when it becomes available. Accept any federal student loans and grants made available. Do not accept the Federal PLUS Loan--this is a loan only for parents to help undergraduates pay for college.
Apply for any school-administered scholarships that may be listed on your college's website. Complete any requirements necessary such as an essay or application and submit these before the deadline.
Register for free at FastWeb.com, the largest scholarship-search database on the Web. Create a profile including your age, ethnicity, year in college, and any other personal information so that FastWeb can find and match you with appropriate scholarship opportunities. Search the FastWeb database for scholarships that interest you. Apply for scholarships by the deadline by submitting applications and completing any scholarship essays or entries.
Apply for private student loans to cover the cost of college that any federal and state grants and student loans from your FAFSA will not cover. FinAid, a respected organization in the college financial aid community at finaid.org, lists alternative student loan opportunities from private lenders. Get help from a credit-worthy co-borrower, if needed, such as an adult friend or extended family member to help you qualify for a private loan.