“showcase strengths that you can substantiate rather than try to create a persona you think that will have weaker competition.” Yes and a nice rewording. But you do want what you substantiate to be relevant to what you say you want to study.
I doesn’t matter if only some Ivies admit by division or college. They will look at the stated potential major.
It’s a case where, “Better safe than sorry.” Don’t assume you can slide into xxx without the evidence you’re ready. Your app and supp need to make sense