<p>If the OP is looking for merit aid, his best opportunities will come from schools where he is at the very top of the applicant pool, not the middle. Also, financial aid for OOS applicants to public schools is usually reserved for really stellar students. I think FooMonChew’s suggestion to cast a wide net and to include a good number of match/safeties (like Drexel and Buffalo) is a good one. And remember, it’s really only safety if it is a financial safety, too.</p>