You can receive non-need-based financial aid, regardless of your and your family's financial circumstances.

Non-need-based aid can be awarded based on:

• Academic credentials.
• Test scores.
• Church, civic, or community activities or membership.
• Alumni affiliations of other family members.
• Your parents' employer.
• Ethnic or nationality factors.
• Special talents, such as music, sports, oratory, or leadership skills.

There are many kinds of aid not based on financial need. These include:

• Institution-based scholarship programs.
• Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).
• Service academies.
• Private scholarships, including community-based programs.
• Certain federal loans.
• Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS).
• Private, non-government loans such as the Sallie Mae Signature Student Loan program.

Compare the costs associated with different types of schools.