<p>I am currently a junior, should I start searching for financial aid?</p>
<p>You could start looking for outside scholarships. </p>
<p>Most importantly you should sit down with your parents to discuss financial parameters (who much they are willing to pay out borrow for your education). you could sit with them and have them run their numbers through one of financial aid calculators which are available so they could have a ball park figure how much their EFC would be.</p>
<p>You could start looking at prospective schools. Things to look for (a lot of this information can be found on the college board's site) :</p>
<p>the amount of need that is met (as most colleges do not meet 100% demonstrated need)</p>
<p>The avg. financial aid package
the percentage of loans/ grants that are given
the average amount of debt a student graduates with
If a school offers merit money
If you were to apply today, would you be eligible for merit</p>
<p>In addition, start looking at Fastweb and research scholarship opportunities. Make a list with a timetable for application and what is required (essay, recommendations, transcript, etc). Start working on several essays now and during the summer so when the time comes, you'll have something ready. Because you will not have much time your senior year!</p>