When you need financial aid to afford a college, especially as a transfer student, I don’t think those schools can be considered safeties. [url=<a href=“https://admissions.vassar.edu/apply/answers/transfer.html#aid%5DVassar%5B/url”>https://admissions.vassar.edu/apply/answers/transfer.html#aid]Vassar[/url], for instance, is need aware for transfer students and aid is limited for those they do admit. Apply to some if you can afford it and your stats are competitive, but I wouldn’t count on them.
Have you considered SUNY New Paltz? It’s Downstate (near Marist and Vassar). If you don’t have a SUNY within commuting distance but your parents can afford for you to dorm, you may want to consider it. I think IBM has a plant near there. Some schools allow cross-registration, so that may be something to explore too.
@austinmshauri
Yeah, that certainly makes things difficult 
The good thing though is that they all offer free applications (with the exception of Barnard which I am applying to regardless). I believe Wellesley is need-blind for transfers, but I’d definitely have to research the school more for a general fit. I think it’s the most competitive of that bunch.
How much do you think that financial need affects making a decision to accept students?
A lot of students go there from my school. However, it’s still a safety and I’d prefer Binghamton or Stony Brook instead if I don’t get into any of my matches/reaches. Right now, I’m mainly looking for schools to add to my list that are above the rigor of these two schools.
I think financial need makes more of a difference to transfers because there’s less aid available for them overall, but if you get free apps definitely send them in. Let us know how it works out. 
@austinmshauri Thank you! I really appreciate your help-- and everyone who has commented
If people have more suggestions for possible match schools, please continue to comment 
Hi everyone,
Just an update for everyone as a thanks for all your help! I was accepted to all three of the above mentioned match schools (Cornell CALS, Northeastern and URochester) and earned merit aid or significant financial aid at all But due to a strange turn of events both on my part and admissions, I ended up applying to and was accepted to Stanford University where I will be attending this coming Fall!
Thanks again to everyone who helped me through this difficult admissions process!
Wow! Congrats! Funny how you wanted to be a 3hr drive from home. Life is interesting that way:) Great news
OMG. What a leap – from looking at Bing to enrolling at Stanford. Congrats OP! And thanks so much for coming back to let us know. It speaks well of you as a great student and as a considerate, responsible young woman.
@citymama9 Haha, yes. I would have never expected to be in this position!
@momcino Yep, I’m glad I underestimated myself as opposed to overestimating! 
Thank you so much!
Wow, cool story! Congrats!
Care to elaborate on the turn of events? Your have piqued my curiosity.
@Lindagaf
(copied from my other thread)
Lol, I can’t really put my mind to how this happened, but something just compelled me to apply…? Which is crazy because one of my original criteria was to stay in the Northeast…so me applying, it just sort of happened on a whim? It’s probably the only school in the world that could have had the initial potential to break me out of my comfort zone to go far away for college–and look what happened! Even then, the whole time I didn’t think I had a brink of a chance because apparently they had a less than a 1% acceptance rate for transfers the year before.
When decisions came out, I told myself to get over with the rejection early… it was not like my heart was set on going or anything (because I never thought I would get in). Then I saw the word “Congratulations” and I completely freaked out.
In the end, I narrowed it down to Columbia and Stanford. It was an incredibly difficult decision for me. However, as a transfer, Columbia was making things difficult for me in regards to course load because of their Core Curriculum and other various factors. After visiting and a lot of deliberation, I chose Stanford!