<p>Some schools accept it, like state universities. They accept a low yield, throw out a lot of acceptances, and see what sticks. It’s only the universities that are really actively trying to get beyond their image as a safety… privates and schools like Tufts… that really “bristle.” Another school that hates being used as a safety is the Washington U. St. Louis. Schools like Tufts and WashU reject super-qualified kids if they don’t show interest, assuming those kids applied to their schools as safeties. That’s how you happen to hear of someone who was accepted by Harvard and Princeton… but rejected by WashU.</p>