He is HS class of 2026? That means he is a currently a HS sophomore, correct?
That being the case, so much could change in terms of his interests, ideas, possible majors, and even places he might want to actually attend college.
If your kid plans to apply to UMD, they need to apply in the early round when over 80% of the incoming class is accepted.
Re: merit aid at these publics. many public universities provide limited merit aid to OOS students as their mission is to assist their residents first and foremost. On this list, I don’t see any that would guarantee any substantial merit aid.
University of Alabama and University of Tulsa would provide solid merit. Tulsa really best if the junior year PSAT makes the kid eligible for National Merit Semifinalist status. Check University of New Mexico for their Amigo scholarship. Check U of Arizona and Arizona State (although word on the streets is that AZ is considering cutting aid to OOS students).
The bigger question here is…how much can you afford to pay annually? This is actually more important than merit aid potential. Your net costs need to be affordable. So…what is your upper limit annually?