<p>Your options:</p>
<p>(1) Schools that guarantee to meet 100% of need with no loans. See the list [here[/url</a>]. These tend to be highly competitive schools - so, if your stat’s are good, you’ve got a chance of being admitted, but there’s no guarantee.</p>
<p>(2) Schools that offer guaranteed merit awards for students with certain stat’s (a certain test score and/or GPA). Some of these offer a full ride. See the lists [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html][b]here[/b][/url”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/848226-important-links-automatic-guaranteed-merit-scholarships.html]here[/url</a>], and [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html][b]here[/b][/url”>Automatic Full Tuition / Full Ride Scholarships - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums]here[/url</a>].</p>
<p>(3) Schools that offer good merit aid that is not guaranteed - you’ll be competing with other applicants to win these awards. The higher your stat’s are compared to the school’s “average” applicant, the better your chances. [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html][b]Here[/b][/url”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/52133-schools-known-good-merit-aid.html]Here[/url</a>] is one list and [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/211927-institutional-merit-based-scholarships-full-tuition.html][b]here[/b][/url”>Institutional Merit Based Scholarships (Full Tuition +) - Financial Aid and Scholarships - College Confidential Forums]here[/url</a>] is another, and there are probably more, but, for the most part, you’re going to have to do the research yourself. Focus on schools that are less competitive - where you will be an above average applicant. Think about it this way: if all the school’s applicants are just like you, then why would they need to pay you to attend? The school uses its merit money to attract applicants who are significantly better than the school’s average applicant. If you’re that person, then you’ll get the money. It may not be a famous or “prestige” school . . . but if the school is willing to pay you to attend, then who cares?</p>
<p>The money you’re looking for comes from the school itself - not the government and not some outside scholarship that you have to apply for (although some schools have their own scholarships that require separate applications and you should try for those).</p>
<p>The one notable exception is the National Merit Scholarship. If you win it, that will pay for college - and if you don’t win, but become a finalist, many schools will give you their own substantial scholarships just for becoming a finalist - or even just a semi-finalist! This award depends on how well you do on the PSAT, which you’ll be taking the fall of your junior year in high school. Here is the [url=<a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php][b]home”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php]home</a> page](<a href=“http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php][b]here[/b][/url”>http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php) for the National Merit Scholarship organization, and [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html][b]here[/b][/url”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/649276-nmf-scholarships-updated-compilation.html]here[/url</a>] is a partial list of schools that offer their own awards for semi-finalists and finalists. There is a much better list available on the internet - if you do a search for the words “national merit scholars excel” you should find it.</p>