You can apply at
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid for Federal Student Aid. You can also get state grants(in some states, not sure if all have them) and they are automatically awarded if you fill out your Fafsa by the March 31(April 2 next year I think) and you qualify.
You can still fill out a Fafsa to cover the upcoming Jan-May semester and it would also cover summer semester June-July(August, depending on the school)
The Fafsa that will be available to fill out Jan 1, is for the 200-2009 school year that will cover any semester that run or begin between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
You will also need to fill out the Fafsa in order to be eligible for Stafford Student Loans. Credit is not a factor unless you are in default on a previous student loan(or maybe owe the government, not sure about that).
Student Aid on the Web
Also check scholarships. Your employer is a good place to look or see if your employer offers tuition reimbursement. Also, a lot of the larger companies offer scholarships, like Wal-Mart.
If the event that you do not get any scholarships or governmental grants and have to take out student loans and/or pay out of pocket.......unless you can not get your degree elsewhere, I'd suggest trying a community college or something to at least get your lower level classes much cheaper.
Online education, distance education, online bachelor degree, distance learning degrees – Columbia College offers degrees online. While they are more expensive then other places, they aren't outrageous.