<p>If your expectations are reasonable you should do reasonably well.</p>
<p>I'm in the same situation, Optimization -> I live less than a block from the local state university (I hate that place...) and my dad works there so for my parents it would be great since it's free and I can live at home</p>
<p>I at least want to get into one of my better safety schools which would let me get out of this town in the middle of the cornfields. My number 1 school is MIT, though...</p>
<p>My top choice is Stanford, but I wouldn't mind USC because I love that school too. But I have the same problem as tapedDuck. There's a private school my mom works at, so I get free tuition there and I know for sure I'll get in because it's my safety and I mean, the admission rate is 89%. But I don't want to go there... I want to go to a school higher up on my list.</p>
<p>Part of the deal is to make a financially sound decision. You can always transfer after 2 years.</p>
<p>Though some schools have low transfer admission rates and you'd be better off applying as a freshman.</p>