What do I file as if I was contracted from 1/1/2024 through March 2024 and did not work the rest of the year because I returned to school from August to December 2024?

If you were working as a contractor for the first three months, you will have to report that income as self-employment.  If you mean that you were employed the first three months, then you should have received a form W2.   You will also need to report Form 1098-T that you should have received from your school.  

How do I report income from self-employment?

What education tax credits are available?