To Apply, or Not to Apply?

[ramennoodlecats]

I'm not sure if I should apply to a particular university. Although the research group seems personable, the type of research they do is not exactly similar to what I am interested in. Furthermore, the university is known for being a prestigious university and I am 90% sure I would not be accepted based off my GRE scores and undergraduate GPA. So my question is, is applying worth the $70 application fee and hours spent shaving down my two page SOP to 500 words, but more opportunities in the end? Or should I stick to applying to the other five universities in am interested in and would would have a better chance at being accepted (not as prestigious/research interests are more inline with theirs)?

Thanks!

[TakeruK]

Assuming that you can afford $70, I think the money is a good investment for more opportunities. 

The time spent altering your SOP could be more costly. Does it mean you have less time to optimize your other applications? If you do have the time to do this SOP change and give everything else full effort, I'd say go for it. If it will remove time from other applications, then you have to decide at some point whether the risk is worth the reward.

I would lean more towards applying though because I think it's more likely that one underestimates themselves than overestimates. However, I don't know your actual scores and GPA. Maybe you can get better advice from someone who knows you personally (e.g. your letter writers).