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Many state schools do not offer much - if anything - for merit - even for in-state students. That's why it's important to look specifically at what each school offers - never assume.
Also look to see if the merit scholarships are automatic or competitive. It can be almost impossible to get a competitive scholarship without stellar stats because often only a small number are awarded, and sometimes hundreds of kids have applied for those.
While it may be a good idea to apply for some competitive scholarships, since they are "iffy," it's best to also apply to a few schools that will award automatic scholarships.
Another issue to keep in mind regarding competitive scholarships...many require an on-campus interview (at your expense). That was a real "turn-off" for us when distance was an issue (airfare, hotel, food, car rental, missing days of school, etc), just for a tiny chance at a competitive scholarship. We limited competitive scholarships to those that didn't require a campus interview or weren't too far away.
Also, look to see if scholarships can "stack"...meaning that a student can receive 2 or more scholarships from the school and add them together (some schools allow, some don't). My sons' school lets you stack a university scholarship with a departmental scholarship. DS1 has one scholarship that pays for his tuition and dorm,, plus another one that gives $2500 per year. DS2 has a scholarship that pays for tuition, another one that pays $2500 a year, and another that pays $2000 per year.
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