The University of California Berkeley is consistently rated by U.S. News and World Report as the top public school in the United States, making the UC Berkeley arguably the best public college outside of Florida. The University of California Santa Cruz makes a viable choice for a mid-range school as it had a 64 percent acceptance rate in 2010, while the University of Arizona is a highly reputable safety school; its 2010 acceptance rate was 78 percent.
Most reach schools in the Northeast are private, but Pennsylvania State University stands out. With a 2009 acceptance rate of 51 percent, Penn State makes one of the least intimidating schools in the reach category. On the other hand, Binghamton University, a member of the State University of New York, is a mid-range school that boasted a 2009 acceptance rate of 39 percent.
The University of Michigan is one of the most selective public schools in the nation, often accepting only students with the highest of SAT scores (2,000 and above). In 2010, it was ranked by U.S. & World Report as the fourth best public school and has a strong reputation in a variety of academic fields. The University of Oklahoma, on the other hand, makes a safe bet as a mid-range school as they embraced a 2009 acceptance rate of 93 percent.
In 2010, the University of Virginia was the third ranked public school, making it one of the most selective of public colleges outside of Florida. Its quality of education earns its place as a reach school in the South. The University of Missouri is a mid-range school with an unusually high acceptance rate (83 percent in 2009). The University of Alabama--Huntsville makes a solid choice for a safety school as its strong academics make it one of Alabama's better public schools.