Safety school
Meaning: A college that a student is confident of being accepted to, applied to as a backup.
'My safety school is State University' means you are confident you will get in and are applying as insurance while you aim for harder-to-get-into schools. The safety school concept reflects the anxiety of American college admissions. Ironically, some students end up loving their safety school more than they expected. 'I ended up at my safety school and it was the best thing that happened to me' is a surprisingly common story. Calling a school someone's 'safety' can be insulting to people who attend that school.
Examples
- My safety school is the state school — I should definitely get in there. 我的保底学校是州立大学——那里我肯定能录上。Mi universidad de reserva es la estatal — seguro que me aceptan.滑り止めは州立大学だ——そこなら確実に受かるはず。안전 지원 학교는 주립대야 — 거기는 확실히 붙을 거야.
- She ended up at her safety school and actually loved it more than her first choice. 她最后去了保底学校,结果比第一志愿还喜欢。Al final fue a su universidad de reserva y le gustó más que su primera opción.彼女は結局滑り止めの大学に行ったけど、第一志望より気に入った。그녀는 결국 안전 지원 학교에 갔는데 1지망보다 오히려 더 좋았대.
- Never badmouth your safety school — it might end up being where you go. 千万别说保底学校的坏话——最后你可能就去那里了。Nunca hables mal de tu universidad de reserva — puede que acabes yendo allí.滑り止めの大学を悪く言うのはやめよう——結局そこに行くことになるかもしれない。안전 지원 학교를 나쁘게 말하지 마 — 결국 거기 가게 될 수도 있으니까.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: college admissions, planning, high school
Tone: strategic, sometimes dismissive
✓ Do Say
- What is your safety school?你的保底学校是哪里?¿Cuál es tu universidad de reserva?滑り止めはどこ?안전 지원 학교는 어디야?
- You need at least one safety school.你至少需要一所保底学校。Necesitas al menos una universidad de reserva.滑り止めは最低一校必要だよ。안전 지원 학교는 최소 하나는 있어야 해.
✗ Don't Say
- Do not openly call a school someone's safety — it's insulting to students there.不要公开把一所学校称为别人的保底——这对那里的学生很不尊重。No llames abiertamente a una universidad la «reserva» de alguien — es ofensivo para los estudiantes de allí.ある大学を公然と誰かの「滑り止め」と呼ぶのはやめよう——そこに通う学生に失礼だ。누군가의 학교를 대놓고 안전 지원 학교라고 부르지 마라 — 거기 다니는 학생들에게 모욕적이다.
Origin & History
American college admissions terminology that became widespread with the increasing competitiveness of college applications from the 1980s onward.
Cultural Context
Era: 1980s–present
Generation: All generations
Social background: Universal
Regional notes: All regions
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