<p><a href="http://www.safetyschool.org%5B/url%5D">www.safetyschool.org</a></p>
<p>byerly, tell that to the kid i know who got rejected by yale (after being deferred EA) and is in the Harvard class of '09!</p>
<p>I have to agree with mattmom. A the highest level of competitive schools there just is no such thing as a 100% certainty, or even a 90% certainty which I would define as a "safety". Furthermore, in my experience many kids that use CC are much too glib with their estimations of acceptance for other kids. Indeed parents are well aware of the andison saga and it frightens them when kids use non-HYP but elite highly selective schools as "safeties". That said, I do think that Rutgers can be considered a safety even out of state. Drew would be a safety. NYU is a match that you probably will be accepted to but I would not consider it a safety. Your academic stats certainly make you a match for many of the more slective non-HYP schools and I don't think you need to apply to more than 1 or 2 safeties. I also agree that you should think carefully about what you want out of a campus experience. Being close to NYC is not being IN NYC. And being IN NYC can be exciting but it also can be paradoxically isolating as there may not really be a central campus community to interact with as everyone disperses into the city. Only visiting and talking to kids about their experiences can help you discover if a place is right for you.</p>