You can visit numerous websites, but you might start with the Federal Government's student aid site. The homepage includes Quick Links with explanations of information about the types of financial aid or where to go to apply for help. Financial aid includes grants, scholarships, work-study, loans, and how to fill out the FAFSA - the form for Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, and the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation.

The site also provides information about finding a career, including a Quick Link to an online search tool called My Next Move. This free, online program can help you browse for careers based on your ideal dream job, general information, or by entering your current skills or what you like to do. For each job listed, the site will help you find out:

  • what people in this career do on the job
  • the types of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the career
  • the level of education usually needed
  • the average annual salary
  • the expected demand for this career in the future

Knowing what you might want to be someday can help you narrow down your choices for colleges. It's never too early to start thinking about what you want to study, where you want to apply, and how you are going to finance your education.

You can also use online resources to start calculating how much you will be paying for college:

Close-up of a dollar bill

I know I'm going to college, but how will I pay for it?