Agreed that this is a problem. There is this idea that a student must create a “balanced” list with safeties, matches and reaches. Some GCs even push for a certain number of applications in each category. But really, if each school on the list is a good fit (financially, academically and socially) then besides a “sure thing” school, nothing else is absolutely required. A good friend of mine has a son who was a NMF. He applied to his state’s flagship, MIT and Princeton. All 3 have math departments that met his needs really well. He was accepted by the flagship but not by the “highly unlikely” schools. He is thriving at the flagship, and at a great price. Insisting he apply to “match” schools only would have muddied the waters. My own child applied to only “highly likely” and “possibles.” That is a perfectly fine way to make a list.