“Schools with 35-50% acceptance rates are matches, not safeties.”
That’s definitely not true, there are enough counterexamples to prove that wrong. The easiest would be where a particular major has a 30-50% acceptance rate and is auto-admit based on weighted gpa and standardized tests. A local school, SJSU, would be a good example, its CS major is in the 40s, maybe less. But if you meet the eligibility index, you’re in. I agree that would not apply for more holistic colleges.