Age 24 = Independent?

The way it works is, if you are independent for FAFSA, then only your income and assets count (dependent students have to put parent income and assets and student income and assets in most cases). So your EFC would most likely be much lower than when your parent income counted. Lower EFC means higher Pell grant eligibility, max is about $5800. Possibly eligibility for other grants or work study and maybe state grants. You can get a higher amount of federal student loan as well as an independent student.

But if college is affordable will depend on cost and max aid available to you.

You will also need enough aid to cover living expenses, especially if you attend classes fulltime, because you won’t be able to work as many hours.