OP you have great stats, and you sound like a serious students. Congrats for putting yourself in a position to be a contender for merit money – and congrats for taking it on yourself to do the research you need before applications time.
As others have pointed out, need-based aid will probably not be the best route for you. There are posters on this website with lots of experience. If you share more of your goals and your background, you will get lots of help.
– What is your geographical range? How far away would / could you travel? Do your parents set parameters?
– What is your intended area of study? Career goals?
– How do you feel about honors programs – huge versus medium sized universities – urban vs rural?