<p>To my knowledge SUNY's Honors Colleges do offer merit money; I've heard of full tuition, but I don'`t know about room and board. </p>
<p>Another option that is fairly comparable to the UC's is the three state supported schools at Cornell. I am not looking up exact figures, but for NYS residents the three schools, Human Ecology, Labor and Industrial Relations, and Agricultural Science, are quite discounted, something like $29K vs. $46K. I am not sure if they offer merit money or not. In addition, thet are easier to get into than Arts and Sciences because the applicant pool is pretty much limited to NYS students. They may not sound appealing, but consider:
1) All Cornell students live together.
2) Most A & S electives are available to students from other schools.
3) Greeks opened to kids from all schools.
4) Extra-curriculars available to kids from all schools.
5) Cornell has anything a kid could want to study in a beautiful environment.</p>
<p>Many kids who are not especially interested in these majors choose this option for financial reasons. One can put together a fairly standard bio major from either HE or AG, and MANY pre-meds choose this. LIR turns out future lawyers, even corporate lawyers. And Cornell has said that next year it will accept simultaneous applications to two different schools. This allows application to a NYS school and A & S's so you can see if there is a possible aid offer.</p>
<p>It's true. SUNY's are not exciting, but many are pleased with Geneseo's LAC-like atmosphere. Stony Brook's Music Department is in the top ten in the country. Purchase is one off the few public arts colleges, but liberal arts are available there, too. Crane School of Music is a well-regarded conservatory at SUNY Potsdam. Many kids I know have really enjoyed New Paltz: cute town, Hudson Valley.</p>
<p>The problem in New York is that we have so many privates and a culture that supports them downstate. The schools are also seriously underfunded. That said, I had serious, dedicated students at Stony Brook.</p>