<p>I have a good number of matches, and a few reaches, but I'm having a really hard time finding safeties that I like. </p>
<p>I would post my criteria, but I'm really all over the place, so I think I would get more productive results without it. I'm just looking for ideas...</p>
<p>My favorite safety will be Pepperdine :)</p>
<p>HYPSM</p>
<p>But seriously, it should be your in-state school, since it costs the least yet provides about the same (if not better) education than your other safeties.</p>
<p>^^The only time that I would disagree with the above is if your in-state school is just plain wrong for you. My in-state school is nearly 20 times the size of Wellesley--some people could be reasonably happy with either size, but most are not. I would hate to be at a school that large, and so I found another school--Case Western Reserve--that was smaller, still a strong school, and still a safety. If you play your cards right, you can find another safety that you actually like that doesn't cost you more than your in-state public. With my merit scholarship, Case would have cost me approx. $18,000/yr--the sticker price at UIUC next year will be $26,000/yr.</p>
<p>^That's the reason why I'm having such a hard time. I could never go to the schools in my state. There are only two, and both are absolutely awful. And I'd hate it because literally EVERYONE from my school goes to them. </p>
<p>Safety hunting...bahh.</p>
<p>I suggest you take a look at the book "Greene's Guides: Making it into a Top College". Among other things, it includes a fairly comprehensive list of what the authors deem the top schools in the country, divided into Extremely Demanding, Very Demanding, and Demanding categories. Extremely Demanding are the Ivies, many of the top 20 uni's, and the 5 or so most selective LAC's; Very Demanding are many of the remaining top uni's (Tufts, Vanderbilt, etc.) and the bulk of the top LAC's, and Demanding are strong, but generally less well-known Unis and LACs. For a competitive applicant, the Demanding schools are good safeties, and some of the less selective Very Demanding schools are safe matches. It's not perfect--not every top school is on the list, and sometimes I think that a few of the Extremely and Very Demanding schools are inferior to the strong schools in the next category down, but it is a very good place to start a list that still has a lot of choices but isn't hundreds and hundreds of schools long. </p>
<p>The rest of the book is very good and level-headed, too, but I would caution you not to overestimate your chances, because the book is a few years old and admissions has gotten quite a bit harder overall since it was published. But it is a really good starting place.</p>
<p>My safeties were three University of California campuses and Northwestern. I do agree that it's easier to find safeties in-state though, so world changer, that's a tough situation.</p>
<p>violetmist2003, Northwestern is not a safety in this day and age, for anyone--a safety is a school that you are basically guaranteed admission to. You might have been pretty sure that you were going to get in, and you were right, but Northwestern should not be the least selective school on anyone's list who is serious about attending a college next year.</p>
<p>Occidental college in LA was my faviorte saftey. I also really liked Reed, but even though my guidance counsouler called it a safety, I thought of it more as a safe match. (Note: I never actually applied to these places because I got into Wes ED). But it might also be helpful if you at least posted your stats, because one person's safty is another person's reach...</p>
<p>UC Santa Cruz, by far.</p>
<p>UChicago...what an awesome place.</p>
<p>UChicago=Safety?</p>
<p>Again, no, not really. For very competitive applicants, it is a match/safe match, but never a safety--no one can be 100% certain that they will be admitted.</p>
<p>Especially with those crazy essays. UChicago really looks for those who will fit in with the school culture.</p>
<p>I had two safeties during my college process, Franklin & Marshall College and Ursinus College, with my favorite being Ursinus by far. Although the name might sound a bit odd, it's a charming little school with really friendly students (a few days after I got in, a freshman from the school called me to congratulate me and find out if there was anything she could help with in the way of questions) and a great overall atmosphere. Also, it has fantastic merit scholarships and gives you the opportunity to do a priority application if your SAT scores and GPA are high enough.</p>
<p>Weskid: I was just looking for general ideas, which is why I didn't post stats. But...upon seeing some of these so-called "safeties", I probably should. </p>
<p>-I'm a current junior at a private, college prep school in Las Vegas.
-Female, white.
-3.6 GPA (would be much higher, but I've had a some serious circumstances affecting the past few years).
-I take a fairly challenging academic load, with a good handful of honors and a few AP classes. I'll graduate with 33 credits.
-I haven't got my SAT scores back yet, but I image that I'll get around a 1950.
-I have a few solid ECs: Equestrian riding, golf lessons, community service groups.
-I'm the editor-in-chief of my school newspaper.
-I hold a part-time job in the summer.
-I've won journalistic, as well as academic awards.
-I'm a first generation college student.</p>
<p>Eugene Lang is a very nice safety, if you are a fit to the school culture.</p>
<p>All Canadian Unis except maybe McGill. (i sincerely don't know anything about McGill because I didn't apply there but heard they have a slightly lower acceptance rate).</p>
<p>Not that they are bad or anything... their qualtiy of education is as good as any us uni... its just that they have a high acceptance rate.</p>
<p>I kept UBC and University of toronto as safeties and i got into both</p>
<p>San Diego State
Indiana University</p>
<p>My safety was my state school's business program, although from what I've read in newspaper articles it's really not that safe of a safety for out-of-state students. I also really liked Dickinson as a safety...which I've heard has also gotten more selective but not as selective as some other liberal arts colleges. I've never visited, but I was really attracted to their strong focus on international studies/languages and study abroad.</p>