Fill out the FAFSA forms and you may be eligible for Pell Grants and other grants your school may offer. It also provides loans (yes, the ugly L word) such as subsidized/unsubsidized and parent plus loan. Also, keep in mind that some scholarships require you to be FAFSA eligible, so you should really fill that out. JUST DO IT! In my case, I will use the Pell Grant and this other grant offered by my school. As for the loans, I was offered subsidized/non-subsidized and parent plus loan but I am very reluctant to take them out. Having really no other choices, I decided to take out the subsidized loan. In my opinion, this is the best of the 3 because the interest doesn't start until I graduate. I have a year left after I return from this trip and I can probably pay it off before the interest starts to pile up. Work, work,