If you do not yet have a number, you should contact your Social Security Administration office to obtain one. It is required before you can be considered for any Federal student aid program. I plan to go to college half time. Almost all funds are available to students who attend college at least half time. Some institutions, however, give preference to full-time students.
Some programs are available for less than half-time attendance.
My neighbor and I both applied for financial aid at the same college. The circumstances in your neighbor's family may be different than they appear, and home equity is not used to determine eligibility for Federal Aid. What doesn't necessarily show are other factors, such as some debts or number in college, which affects the computation of the family contribution. State and local laws may also apply in such cases. I don't feel it is the college's right to request my U.S. tax forms.