Academically Selective Schools with the Most Merit Based Financial Aid

Starting to put together a college list and looking for schools that are academically selective but also offer significant merit based scholarships.

I know that many highly competitive schools focus mostly on need based aid. I would like to find options where strong grades, test scores, or other achievements can lead to meaningful merit awards.

For anyone who has gone through this process, which schools stood out to you for combining selective admissions with generous merit aid? Were there any hidden gems or lesser known programs that you would recommend looking into?