Definition: A safety school is a college that you will almost certainly get into because your test scores, class rank and / or high school grades are well above average when you look at the school's profile. Even if you're a valedictorian with perfect SAT scores, you should never consider the top U.S. colleges and top universities to be safety schools. The admissions standards at these schools are so high that no one is guaranteed acceptance.
When applying to colleges, it's important to choose your schools wisely. You should make sure you apply to a mix of reach schools, match schools and safety schools.
Also Known As: Back-up School
