.Profile Eval & Help Choosing a Safety

[sweat]

GMAT (09/26/2012): 570 - would like to apply round one, and my time and funds are limited at the moment so retesting would be hard to pull off.
UG GPA: 2.96
Work Experience: 2.5 years post-grad as a manager in internet marketing
Career Goal: Business Development/Strategy Planning in Video Game Industry

Schools:
USC
UW
UCI
SMU

My questions/request:
USC is a dream school for me so I am going to apply despite my stats. I would run across continents and swim all of the oceans to attend USC. Is there even the slightest chance of getting admitted?

I am searching for a "safety" school in Seattle, SoCal, or Texas that are near/in a metropolitan area. Does anyone have any suggestions for a fifth option for me?

Are the schools above a good fit stat-wise, and will I be admitted to at least one of them?

Does something like being first in family to graduate help when applying to an MBA program? I am not sure how personal "hurdles" help or hinder in the application process.

Thanks for reading my post and any suggestions.

Edit: Added a question.

[Jon@Admissionado]

Well, to find a safety school a basic place to start is your GMAT. If your GMAT is say...40 points higher than the average GMAT of the school you are applying to, then that's a pretty safe school for you. Of course in reality it depends on LOTS more than just one GMAT score, but its not a bad place to start.

As for overcoming hurdles, yes they can make a nice personal story, which can help build a more "human" profile, but that alone won't get you accepted.

Good luck with whatever you do!!!