are these safeties really safe?

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>Just a little disclaimer: I've posted a "chance me" thread before, but I want this one to focus specifically on my safety schools! Please don't chew me out:)</p>

<p>Hook: Triple-URM--White, Black, Dominican, Native American (not registered)</p>

<p>GPA: 3.87 uw, 4.6 w
ACT: 35 (36 R, 36 E, 34 S, 34 M, 11 W)
SAT IIs: 770 USH, 790 Lit
PSAT: 213
Rank: 50/850 (rank is unweighted, though); top 6%
APs: USH, Lang, & Gov this year, expecting 5's on them. Stats, Lit, Euro, and Macro/Micro next year
Course load: Very history-heavy and all academic electives. Only B's have been in science classes
School type: Large public competitive, highly ranked</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Student Representative to the Board of Education (only student on Board of Ed, representing entire student body of 3200 kids), Student Council, Tau Gamma (community service club, 200 + hours), Vegetarian Club (includes lots of activism), Students for Peace and Justice (includes lots of activism), Volleyball & Club Volleyball, freshman mentor, tutoring elementary kids</p>

<p>Awards:
National Spanish Honors Society
NCTE Achievements in English Writing (national)
Bryn Mawr College Book Award
National Achievement Scholar (probably finalist or winner)
National Hispanic Recognition Program (probably finalist or winner)
Either National Merit Commended or Semi-finalist; I'm on the border for my state's cut off score</p>

<p>Summers: All 3 summers Appalachia Service Project (160+ hours), 1 summer au-pair in Denmark & traveling Europe by myself, this summer volunteering at psychology research facility and a camp for disabled teens.</p>

<p>Prospective Majors: History, Poli-Sci, Women's/Gender Studies</p>

<p>Recs: Should be excellent, from history/gov't & english teachers</p>

<p>Applying:
Columbia ED
Princeton
Yale
Duke
Wash U
Northwestern
Michigan
NYU
BU
U of I (Urbana-Champaign)</p>

<p>So, my question... can I count on getting in Michigan, NYU, BU, and/or U of I? I know that there is never a 100% guarantee, but would those schools be considered safeties given my stats? If not, what kinds of schools should I consider safeties? Thanks!</p>

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<p>A lot of those schools have really low acceptance rates, and a couple are on the pricey side. Your stats are good, but you shouldn’t count on those schools. Maybe look at your state flagship, that’s where most people look for safeties</p>

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<p>rachelm, thanks. what do you mean by my state flagship? i live in illinois, so u of i is one of the usual safeties for top students at my school.</p>

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<p>Oopsies! I was talking more about nyu, and Michigan, since you’re oos</p>

<p>Sent from my Desire HD using CC</p>

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<p>I think you are not only safe at your safeties, but will likely get significant merit aid from UM, UI, and BU. NYU saves all of its money to pay star analytical philosophy professors (lol). Seriously, no need to apply to all four safeties, just pick the two you like best. </p>

<p>Nevertheless, i think this will all be academic as you stand a very good chance of getting into Columbia ED. It would look better though if you replaced Stats with Calc B/C or at least A/B (shows you are at least giving an all out effort in math even though it is not your interest), but doubt it will matter with great test scores, solid grades, interesting ECs, and URM.</p>

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<p>thanks, muckdogs07! i hope you’re right!</p>

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<p>You will definitely get into your safety schools. U of I doesn’t give out much merit aid, even for spectacular students like you (I’m from IL too). I’ve heard plenty of stories of high-achieving students in IL not getting much merit aid from UIUC due to our state’s economic problems :(</p>

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<p>yeah, i’ve heard the same, ND2017. I am not expecting much from U of I:(</p>

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<p>WOW at your background haha, thats awesome.
I think you stand a very good chance at the majority of those schools but I would not consider Michigan and NYU “safeties”. Like rachelm57 said, look at other state schools in Illinois.</p>

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<p>I would say that U of I is a good safety for you, but probably not Michigan, that’s more like a match in my opinion. Have you considered University of Wisconsin-Madison? That would be a good safety for you!</p>

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<p>I have, Emma1220. Just out of curiosity, why do you think Michigan is more of a match? And if it is, why not NYU? They have similar admit stats, at least from my school, and my test scores/gpa are well above the averages admitted.</p>