Chance Me: Caltech, MIT, Northwestern, Duke, Tufts, etc.

“100K per year household”

Have you run the NPCs on the schools you are considering?

I like that you have added UMass Amherst to your list since you are in-state. It is a very good university. We hire tons of people from there.

Your out of state public alleged “safety” universities might or might not be safeties for admission. However, a university is not a safety unless it is also a safety for affordability.