<p>As a safety? A safety is a college that you KNOW will take you and that you KNOW that you can afford. No ifs and buts about those things. When you have high need, the affordability is an issue. Unless a school has guaranteed awards, you can’t assume you get any money from any school. Which means that safety schools tend to be those that are local, where you know your parents can give you 3 squares and a cot. IF there is a local state 4 year school that you know will take you, then it’s likely with what your parents can kick in, what you can earn part time and with Stafford Loans that you can get, that’s where you can go.</p>
<p>Neither Ursinus nor Butler guarantee to meet need, nor do they have guaranteed merit awards for the OP. Unless the OP has some connection to those schools, or any school where some sort of cost concession will be made, s/he needs to look at local public schools. If there are guaranteed awards to any state school where the full cost of the school can be covered, then that would work too. If the OP lived in NY, with what the parents are willing to pitch in , TAP, Staffords, an away SUNY could be a safety.</p>