Even since you were a baby, you have been pretty independent. You refused your mothers outreached hands and walked for the first time, just because you felt like it. As soon as you could, you got your first job and waived away your parents offer of an allowance and now you want to do the same with your student loan. You have too much pride to let your parents co-sign for a loan, although you are starting to realize that at your age, there may not be a choice.
The Federal government offers student loans such as the Stafford Loan, that doesn’t necessarily require a full credit check or a co-signer. However, the amounts of that money may not cover the full cost of your college expenses and additional loan resources.
If you choose to borrow directly from a bank, a credit check is mandatory. If you are young, with no credit history, your parents will be called on to help co-sign the loan. However, this is not a bad thing; discuss the process with your parents and by choosing to take full responsibility and properly paying off your loan in a timely fashion – you can take the first steps to building a good solid credit history for yourself.
Another possible option is to secure a full-time job out of high school and start establishing a credit history based on that. With a couple years of professional experience under your belt, and your own stream of steady income (although your college experience may be delayed by a couple of years) your pride can remain intact as you may be able to apply and secure a loan on your own.
There are some no-cosigner signature student loans out there that operate like a personal loan. There is no collateral needed and the loan is generally offered on good faith. However, the fees for borrowing this money can cost you substantially more in the long run than swallowing your pride and just accepting your parents’ help.