If your parent has remarried, report income for the parent and step-parent. Simply living on your own is normally not sufficient reason to consider you independent. If you can't get their financial information, or there are other circumstances, contact the financial aid office at the school you wish to attend. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education administers a number of grants and scholarships, such as the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship and the Governor's Scholars Program. Applications for ADHE programs are mailed to all high school counselors in early January.
Most schools offer institutional scholarships and grants to their students.
Because each school sets the eligibility criteria, deadlines, etc. Because funds are limited, and some schools have early priority deadlines, it is important to contact the schools as soon as possible. For scholarships from private sources, the high school counselor is usually the best source of information. There are also publications available in the library and bookstores that have information on private sources of financial aid as well as numerous Internet sites. It could be legitimate but the odds are against it.