<p>First off I'd like to say that I am a procrastinator, and a pretty bad one up until now. I graduated in the class of 2012 and even throughout my senior year, I ignored college and its opportunities; I deeply regret it. But now, as we enter 2013, I have a full-time job and am doing my best to make up for all of my past ignorance. Not gonna write an auto-biography here though so the point is that I'm a fresh, somewhat clueless high school graduate doing the best he can now to pave his way to a career. My question to all of you is, where should I start my search for scholarships, loans, and other types of financial aid. I haven't applied to any colleges YET, but I am preparing to as we speak; I live in Massachusetts if that holds any relevance. I really don't know anything about these college loan companies, which ones have good/bad reputations, the lowest interest rate, customizable payment plans, etc. It's really the same way with scholarships, I'm unprepared. I understand getting into and deciding upon a college will make it easier to direct me, but I need somewhere to start. I wasn't the extra-cirricular type in my day and that includes sports, I only endured as much school as I had to, which I regret. This is a big issue for my family and myself and as senseless as I am, I just want some advice or help to begin looking for the thousands of dollars I don't have. Any information you could give about any sort of financial aid would be appreciated, as I really am trying to get my act together ASAP.</p>
<p>[FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org)</p>
<p>Start there.</p>
<p>The vast majority of good scholarships are offered by the school itself. You need to find schools where you stand out (through grades and stats). What were your HS GPA, class rank and SAT/ACT scores? What can your family afford for school each year?</p>