<p>I've noticed a mysterious lack of any safety schools on most of the decisions posted to CC, although I'm unsure if this is because the individuals only applied to top schools, or if they simply are not mentioning their safety schools.</p>
<p>My plan this year is to apply to UChicago for early admission. In the event that I am not admitted there in mid-December, I will then apply to a safety school; if I am admitted, I'll be aiming just for HYPS, and possibly UCBerkeley, Duke, Vanderbilt, UPenn, and Columbia in the RD round. (Yes, long list of schools...I haven't refined it yet. :P)</p>
<p>If you can afford to pay for U of C without knowing what their FA package will be, then if you get in EA your plan is ok. However, IMO, an academic and financial safety is important, unless money is absolutely no object.</p>
<p>I think most people apply to a safety for both academics and finances. For top students, it is nice to have a school that will want them enough to pay for them to attend. If your familiy is in the position to pay the full bill for any school, you have a great plan. Some colleges (often the easier they are to get in, the easier the application)have really easy applications, which eases the pain of the whole process.</p>
<p>^Agreed. But if money is not an issue, that’s a perfectly reasonable plan (though I might also apply to a state safety school EA/rolling decision as well so you have at least one acceptance in hand early). </p>
<p>I think decision threads don’t usually include safeties because those aren’t serious considerations for students accepted to other schools.</p>
<p>Concerning finances, I know my family would like aid. However, my parents will also likely push me toward the most prestigious school I’m admitted to, regardless of monetary concerns (or, indeed, which college I like most…although, fortunately, I’m unlikely to be accepted to Harvard); that is, they’ll follow the path of their friends, who decided that they’d prefer their daughter to attend Yale with minimal aid, rather than take the offered full ride at Vanderbilt.</p>