We let DD#1 pursue colleges based on an unusual major and no proof of interest. It really limited her choices and I think she could have gotten merit aid if we had expanded her search. I also didn’t know about some of the automatic merit schools.
She took the first class and promptly switched directions. I call her our guinea pig kid. Hopefully others have also made the most mistakes with the first. It worked out. She ended up at our state school that she hated on first visit, ended up loving it, and it led to her being in the location to meet her now DH.
Weirdly enough, her sister’s test scores and activities are not as high and she received more aid. Our income is up since the first so who knows.