<p>I'm applying for some top PhD programs for materials science but I also want to apply to a back up school in case I dont get into any of my picks. I have no idea how to go about choosing backup schools. Just how low on the ranking do you need to go to make sure you will get in?</p>
<p>Depends on your GRE's, GPA, letters of rec., and research experience....</p>
<p>You will never make sure you will get in. Actually, if you're just picking schools at random off the bottom part of a list, it will probably be obvious to adcoms that you don't really want to go there and you /won't/ get in, even if it is "low ranked."</p>
<p>Choice of fallback, or any school you apply to, should be on the basis of interest in the department (the faculty's research) and a personal assurance that you'll be happy for the 5+ years you'll be spending at the school. Forget prestige and find a long list of schools that fit this category. Then you can go through and look up the minimum GRE's, average GPA's, etc. of their recently accepted students to determine how strong your chances are. A safety is simply an institution which you are practically certain will admit you--it's not necessarily a "worse" institution than your dream school. UCLA and Berkeley were my safeties for undergrad, but I really had my heart set on a less prestigious place.</p>
<p>how in the world were ucla and berkeley your safeties?</p>