Can you tell us a bit more about what you are looking for in a university? Based off your choices of Wash U & Northwestern it appears as though you’re looking for a mid-size university in or near a big city in the midwest. Is that correct, or are there other options you’d consider? Which parts of the country would you like to go to college? Are there any particular experiences or extracurriculars you would like to have while in college?
And what is the budget? Has your family run the NFC calculators to see what the colleges think they should be able to pay? If the EFC works for your family, then you can apply to schools that don’t offer merit aid. If the EFC doesn’t work for your family, then you will need to apply to schools whose sticker price meets the budget or that are likely to offer sufficient merit aid to meet your family’s number.