Billions of dollars in financial aid go unclaimed every year. Scholarships are available, but you should expect to start early and work hard to locate one. There are several online resources available including Sallie Mae's online scholarship service.
Most families earn too much to qualify for financial aid.
A student who attends a higher-cost college will generally be eligible for more aid than the same student could receive at a lower cost institution. If I become an independent student, I can get more financial aid. Many factors determine financial aid eligibility. Aid is awarded based on the student's and parent's financial situation. But this does not guarantee that the student will automatically receive more aid, especially grants and scholarships.