<p>I’d be careful what you’re calling a “safety” vs. maybe a “match” or “low match.” Even going with the assumption that you have stats that make HPY reasonable reaches (as opposed to high ones, which they are for most people, even people with good shots at “lower” ivies"), many of the schools mentioned here will still be matches, not TRUE safties (ie. a school you are sure to get into). </p>
<p>For instance, the The Claremont Colleges were mentioned. While Scripts and Pitzer would be safties for that kind of student, I’d call Claremont Mckenna and especially Pomona matches at best – LACs that are that selective are idiosyncratic enough that you can’t COUNT on getting in, even if it seems pretty likely (they care a lot about intangibles like “fit”). And this becomes even more true if your reasonable Ivy goal is something below HYP, in which case schools like Pomona might also be reaches, depending on your stats. </p>
<p>However, one strategy that might work if you want to aim pretty high for your safties is to apply somewhere early, either through rolling admissions, EA, or both. I believe UMich has rolling admissions, as do many good state schools. An acceptance in November to UMich or an honors program at another school (where you might also get good money, BTW, if that is a concern) is a great safety, if you’d be happy going to a larger school. </p>
<p>Also, many top schools have early action, where you get a decision in December but, unlike Early Decision, it is not binding. Neither Georgetown nor UChicago could normally be considered safties, but if you got into one of them through early action – well, then it is! And then, unless money is a concern, you only have to bother sending apps off to places you’d rather go (or might rather go) than UChicago or Georgtown, which, depending on how you feel about either of those schools, might be very few places (I know one person who only applied to Yale RD, because Georgetown was her second choice and she’d gotten in EA). I’m sure there are other top-but-not-as-selective-as-HYP schools with EA if neither of those appeal, I just don’t know them off the top of my head.</p>
<p>Of course, if applying to UMich or UChicago or whatever early ends up in a deferral or rejection, then you need to find a true safety, and also maybe re-evaluate how strong your app is.</p>