“GPA – Weighted: 4.2 Unweighted: 3.48
Class Rank: #29 (top 10%)
ACT Score – 30”
" I think my stats are acceptable to receive some aid somewhere."
But not at the big well known colleges you are hoping to get into.
Merit $$ is usually only offered to students whose scores put them in the top 1% of all applicants at any particular college. And that means unweighted GPA’s closer to 4.0, and ACTs closer to 35 , or SAT’s in the 2350 + range.
I know you want to get out of Ala, but realistically you will have to lower your sights and cast a much wider net to have a chance at OOS Merit $$.