Help please -- Is my list okay so far for Condensed Matter? (grad app.)

[bluechic92]

Hey Everyone,
Would appreciate any advice or suggestions.

I know that I do not have many "safeties", but that is because I am applying to a bunch of master's programs (not physics /because of research interest)

Physics GPA: 3.5ish ( No grade lower than a B... lots of advanced courses!) Maybe I should have toned it down.
PGRE: 700 (52%)
Type: Domestic

Research Experience: 2 Hep-th projects, no publications. Happy advisors though!
Rec Letters: I believe I will have 2 strong rec letters from research advisors and 1 from a prof ( two classes received As and prof knows me very well). Bonus Not On APP : I have met many experts in the field of my research(hep-th) and all of them have been very encouraging. They believe I would make a great researcher as well as be very successful in graduate school.

On App: Not so great gpa/pgre score. Good SOP so far. I'm working on making it strong and reflecting my research abilities.

I am undecided between theory and experiment, but I prefer "hard condensed matter".

Rutgers??
Brown
Ohio State
Boston
UPenn??

[Three Master's programs]

 

[Arsenic&Lace]

I have friends who got into Rutgers and Ohio with similar stats. Try a few more schools lower down in the competitiveness scale, the advisers aren't necessarily worse than anywhere else; just make sure there are advisers you want to work with.

 

[bluechic92]

I have friends who got into Rutgers and Ohio with similar stats. Try a few more schools lower down in the competitiveness scale, the advisers aren't necessarily worse than anywhere else; just make sure there are advisers you want to work with.

Thank you for the reply! The only reason I don't have schools that are lower down is because I want schools that are strong in multiple areas and these type seem to be higher up ranking wise.* Also, I am applying to master's programs. I know these cost money, but I am applying for engineering. =)

*I applied to a school in the top 70 and it is my first choice! Hopefully I'll make it... if not then even the above list is just not going to work is it? haha