<p>“Please be aware that as long as you are not a permanent resident, you cannot establish residency in your state and thus you would have to pay out-of-state tuition at your in-state public universities.”</p>
<p>The above statement is not completely correct. I know at least one state university system - the University of Minnesota - that grants you in-state tuition rate if you have already received receipt for your I-485 AOS.</p>
<p>I was in your situation when I applied for colleges. To answer your original question. You cannot apply for financial aid and other scholarships for non-international students most of the time. Be aware that there are colleges that are need-blind towards international students: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, MIT, Williams, Amherst, and Middlebury. Best of luck to you.</p>