@one1ofeach Sorry but that kind of thinking negates looking carefully at what students need and want. I have a 99% kid ( no prep) who chose a school that fit. That same kid got into a name school that did not fit. Kid is THRIVING at the chosen school and working hard. My kid would never have been happy at the 3 schools you mention above for various reasons. I’ve seen so many BS lists and the numbers always vary as to which are in the top 10.
My second kid will apply in this cycle and is also a similar stats kid. We’ll apply based on fit. We’d never refer to a school as second tier, just not a fit for us. Remember there are some schools where kids can take unique things which really appeal to them. That school might not make your list, but it makes their list. And there are many unique schools ( we’ve gotten dozens of emails) which seem to be small and offer unique approaches to education. I have received about 50 emails since the SSAT in October and no school is alike. Some I didn’t even know existed but they seem really great. Who knew there was a school for early college? A school where you can travel the world?
Agree wholeheartedly with @ChoatieMom, safety is a negative term, so is second tier, etc. Someone might be at the bottom of a class at a name school and struggling hard to make grades. And someone might be elsewhere and doing awesome, which would most people want for their kids? To use a college analogy, not every kid wants to go to Harvard and kids at Williams are not second tier. They are both excellent schools and one can reach their educational, social and emotional maturity at many schools. The same goes for BS’s. We aren’t talking about second rate educations at any of these institutions more a matter of buying a quality item vs. a designer item. I don’t think there is a school mentioned that isn’t a fit for someone.