maintain a high GPA while taking a challenging HS curriculum, and crush your SAT/ACT. that puts you in the best position for college options.
compete your hardest for the big Rutgers and Stevens scholarships but don’t count on them, as I am sure the competition will be fierce. here are their links:
http://admissions.rutgers.edu/Costs/Scholarships.aspx
https://www.stevens.edu/admissions/tuition-financial-aid/undergraduate-scholarships-aid/stevens-scholarships
a great PSAT score may lead to National Merit Scholarships form these schools:
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/
excelling on SAT/ACT can open the door for automatic merit scholarships, up to full tuition or even full ride. :
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
in particular, the big automatic scholarships from University of Alabama, University of Mississippi, and Alabama-Huntsville have attracted a lot of good out-of-state students in recent years. i think the freshman classes of both Alabama and Mississippi are now over 50% out-of-state students:
http://scholarships.ua.edu/types/out-of-state.html
http://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships/#8
http://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships/merit-tuition-scholarships
and lastly here are some big competitive scholarships:
http://competitivefulltuition.yolasite.com/
good luck John, we wish you the best.