So - as I and others pointed out - if you want an LAC - then the list other than W&L is all wrong - but journalism is typically not at an LAC - hence I gave some small schools that have merit like Drake, Hofstra, Bradley.
Your bigger thing was chasing merit - and hence I gave you the Bama, Arizona, etc. list - because that’s where you save save save - with the GPA you have.
If you were to rank your schools listed by Reach, for example, UNC is a reach…very very difficult to get into out of state. You’d need to apply TO but I don’t see a way in quite honestly…but you should try. W&L is also a reach but if you show them love. And BU - your rank is good - but again, would be TO. I think those are your three most difficult with UNC being near impossible and the other two not likely but not impossible.
The others are match and/or safety.
But again, as I and everyone has pointed out - these aren’t LACs and not necessarily high merit. An SU for example, even if you get good merit, will be $50K+ a year. An Arizona will be $20K - and then you get in the Honors College to have it smaller - and get a kick butt dorm. But yes, you have to travel there and if there are issues they can’t come home for the weekend, etc.
Good luck.