Go to Google Maps. Enter in driving directions from NYC to Syracuse University: 250 miles (400 km). Use that distance as a radius to draw circle around NYC. That circle will encompasses the states of:
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, plus Washington D.C.
Money matters more than geography. The bottom line is that u need a school that will give u money. Don’t waste your effort on schools that don’t give generous aid to int’l students-- there’s absolutely no point. Don’t count on your aunt to co-sign a loan. As fond as I am of my nieces & nephews, I am not willing to co-sign a student loan for them for them so they can go to a fancier school.