Go to Harvard's website to find out what their current college application process is, and make sure you meet their academic requirements. It's advisable to do this before your junior year in high school if you know in advance that you might want to apply to Harvard. This allows you the chance to add appropriate courses to your junior and senior year curriculum to make sure you meet Harvard's requirements.
At the beginning of your senior year, call Harvard's Financial Aid Office to determine what is required by the school to receive financial aid and what kind of packages and scholarships are available, whether need or merit based. Harvard has many full scholarships available, and you need to know what processes you need to complete to be eligible to apply, and what the exact due dates are.
Go to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website and make sure you know when the deadline is for the school year you are applying for. Fill out your or/and your parents' financial information. This is the form that Harvard will need to determine the level of financial aid you will receive. If you are accepted into Harvard, they will help meet 100 percent of your family's demonstrated need.
Once your FAFSA application is complete, check back with the Harvard Financial Aid Office to see if there is any other info they require from you before they make their financial decision. You should know that Harvard receives substantial endowments that allow the school to be generous with financial aid to students who are accepted, but cannot afford the tuition. Over 70 percent of Harvard students receive financial aid.