“An int’l student isn’t going to find a true free ride merit scholarship into a US school.”
Well perhaps not airfare and health insurance but international students at the very topmost level (like those capable of getting into Stanford) do sometimes get tuition, room and board, for example http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/22165444/#Comment_22165444
But don’t get your hopes up. It seems one common target for international students needing a full ride is the Pearson scholarship at U Toronto.