It's all a matter of choosing wisely. In order to make an informed college selection, it's important that you understand the financial aid process and how financial aid packages are developed for individual students. Cost of attendance is how much it costs to attend college. This cost varies with each college. Just call the college's financial aid office to find out the figure.
Tax returns are the best way to document family income.
You will need access to your parents tax returns as well as your own. Without know what your estimated family contribution is it's hard to tell you what you will qual ify for, but as you will see later on, money is available for those who need it. Do it as soon after January 1st as possible. The earlier you apply the better you chances are of getting some campus-based funding. The federal government randomly selects aid applicants to audit.