Hello!
We’re new to the forum, but I was hoping for some suggestions for schools who give generous merit money. We have a rising senior and are in the final stretch of college hunting. I know we won’t qualify for financial aid, but by the same token we’re not independently wealthy either 
His highest SAT score so far was a 1430 (English 760 and Math 670) and he is planning on taking it again in August to see if he can raise the math score. He is at an academically rigorous school, has a 4.0 unweighted (his school doesn’t weight or rank), APs are being introduced for the first time in his senior year and he’ll be taking the only two available to him.
Track all four years of high school, 2 school clubs (track takes up 2 1/2 hours every day plus meets so not much time for anything else), school science fair awards freshman and junior year. Nature Conservancy volunteer freshman and soph years, offered a job by them for junior year responsible for one of the local preserves. Works with my husband on Saturdays in our business, classes at the Cold Spring Harbor DNA lab freshman and soph year, just completed a competitive high school research program at Albert Einstein Medical College in one of their cancer labs, and in the final stages of publishing a book that should be available in the next couple of weeks.
Good kid, but doesn’t have 15 AP’s and fits none of the traditional “hooks” colleges like to see. He is interested in research science, but likely going in undeclared as unsure of what path he’ll take. Any suggestions of schools that might be a good fit with his interests where he might get great merit money would be welcome. Thank you!
What constitutes great merit money?
As you are from NYS, is he eligible for STRM (to 20% of his class). scholarship, which will provide free tuition to SUNY?
Yes we’re in NY. I will look into the STRM scholarship. He is planning on visiting Binghamton and already visited Stony Brook. My older son received scholarships from a number of schools that ranged from $16,000-$34,000. I like the higher end of that range much more 
How much can you pay annually?
Look at the Alabama schools…UA, UAH and UAB.
@thumper1 - Comfortably $30K is the top of our budget. Will look into the Alabama schools. Thank you!
@sybbie719 - I found info on the NYS STEM scholarship program. Will review with him. Thank you!
If $30,000 is within your budget, I believe all of the instate SUNY schools will be affordable if you are a NY resident.
Are you?
The full cost of attendance at Stony Brook is just under $27,000. Tuition only is under $10,000. Both are within your price point.
If you can pay $30,000 a year, I believe Alabama schools will be affordable.
What kind of school is he looking for? Big, little, public, private? He would probably get big merit at Clark University. He can apply Early Action and know in December.
Hobart William Smith and St.Lawrence University are great small private schools in NY that give great merit scholarship. Both are beautiful campuses!!
Yes NYS schools are within budget (and we are NYS residents), but we were just hoping to add some additional options and alternatives for him.
Someone mentioned U of Richmond and William and Mary as being possibly generous since he’s an out of state student with decent stats and some different EC’s.
U South Carolina would give him in state tuition (and likely an additional $500-2,000 per year) which would get you to $26,000/year or less. Very highly regarded Honors College has competitive admissions and requires an additional application but his stats would make him a good candidate. Lots of kids from NY, NJ, and PA attend.
@LuckyCharms913 - Thanks very much! Will look into it
@LuckyCharms913 the U of South Carolina scholarships are not guaranteed.
And the honors college application is a humdinger…probably the most challenging I’ve ever seen.
South Carolina does have some scholarships that are based on the strength of the application…Cooper and McKissick, for example.
He’s very practical - he’s looked at big, medium, small, urban, suburban, etc., etc. He’s applying at all levels, but his ultimate hope is to spend as little of his 529 as possible, so that it’s there for graduate school.
will add Clarkson, Hobart William Smith and St.Lawrence University to the list - thank you both!
Will he be an NMF finalist? That would open many opportunities.
If he’s thinking about an academic grad program (PhD) he will either be funded (the university will pay for it) or he isn’t strong enough to do a doctorate. So he doesn’t need to save his 529 for grad school.
what is commutable from home?
@blossom - There are a number of schools locally, but he’s hoping to go further afield though. I suspect that he will go onto a doctorate program but he’s still got a lot to figure out before he gets to that point. But I have a question though (I didn’t grow up here so there are lots of things I still don’t know!) … I was under the impression that you had to pay for grad school? Both of my nieces (both from elite schools) went on for doctorates in their respective fields and despite being excellent students still had to pay their way. Am I mistaken in thinking that most people pay for grad school?
We love U Richmond (one just graduated, another starting next month.) The Richmond Scholars program selects 25 students a year and it’s highly competitive but a full ride. I’ve heard some complaints about the next level presidential merit scholarship dropping to 1/3 tuition. I guess it all depends on how
Much you need.
There ARE fields where doctoral studies are not fully funded. What were your relatives studying?
Then…there are doctoral fields where the courses of study ARE fully funded.
YMMV depending on the field of study.