<p>My kids did not use “automatic admissions” schools as safeties. But they did pick schools where their stats where above the 50% mark (all SAT scores, not just one “side”), that had a strong major in the area they were interested in, and they showed interest to make sure they didn’t get rejected due to the schools thinking they were just safeties. Also they were schools that had a reputation for good merit aid and accepted a higher percentage of sutdents. And both of them had two of these schools on their lists.</p>