@melisnb Filling out the FAFSA automatically makes you eligible to take out the standard federal student loan, at least ($5500 for freshman year). Though your parents’ income probably isn’t low enough to qualify for a Pell Grant, it’s possible you might qualify for work study, as well. All of those things are federal government supported financial aid.
The other thing that filling out the FAFSA will tell you is your family’s EFC (estimated family contribution). That does NOT mean your EFC is the amount you should expect to pay at any college or university, it is generally the minimum amount colleges will expect you to pay per year based on your family’s income. It is up to each individual school to decide how much (if any) need or merit based aid to give to an individual student beyond the federal programs above. Most schools cannot afford to meet students’ full financial need, which is why federal EFC is generally the minimum you should expect to pay. Since you are a junior, it’s too early to fill out the FAFSA, but you can do the FAFSA4caster here to get an estimate (ask your parents to do this since you do not know their income): https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e1s1
If your parents fill out the FAFSA4caster and find that they cannot afford the EFC amount each year, you are in good company. Many if not most families at almost every income level find that their EFC is ridiculously high and unrealistic, especially if they live in a high cost area. If that is the case for you, don’t despair. Find out exactly how much your parents DO think they can afford per year. You are a junior, and you have time to come up with a list of colleges that you are likely to be able to afford, but you need that information from your parents in order to proceed. Depending on your GPA and test scores, there are schools that will give significant merit aid to those with good stats, and the nice folks here will have good suggestions based on your individual situation. When you have test scores, an estimated FAFSA EFC, and the amount your parents do think they can afford per year do post either here or in College Search and Selection to get suggestions for schools likely to be affordable.
Out of state public schools (with just a few exceptions) typically do not give any need based aid to out of state students because those families are not taxpayers in that state. Private schools cost a lot more, but do not classify applicants as in state or out of state. You might be more likely to get need-based aid at a private school, but except for the most generous private schools the price tag will usually still come in above the cost of an in state public school unless you qualify for significant merit aid. Those private schools usually want an additional financial aid form, the CSS Profile, which goes much deeper into the family finances, before deciding on how much need based aid to offer, if any.
Students who do not have the stats for big merit awards but who cannot afford their federal EFC usually 1) go to an in state public school (ideally one they can commute to) or 2) start at a community college and finish their degree at an in state public school. If you are in NY, then you have a lot of good in state public options at (relatively) reasonable prices.
Those Net Price Calculators on each school’s web site are very useful, as long as you put accurate information into it (your parents should fill it out if they are not willing to give you access to their tax returns). Some NPCs are more accurate than others, and NPCs can be off by a lot in some situations e.g. international students, self-employed parents/business owners, those with non-custodial parents. The longer, more detailed NPCs are usually the most accurate, and some will even estimate merit aid if it has a place to input GPA and test scores… If an NPC shows the school would not give you enough need based aid and you are unlikely to qualify for merit aid there, then cross it off your list.
Good luck!