<p>There is a lot of bad info here. Most of these schools take less than 5% who are not in the top 10% of their HS class making them all but impossible if you’re not an athlete unfortunately. With SAT scores higher than your PSAT, USC and similar should be your reaches. </p>
<p>Scholarships at most of these schools do not exist, just need based aid. For merit at the schools like USC which offers it, you need to be national merit or otherrwise at the top of their pool.</p>