If you're worried about costs your safe option is to avoid an M. Arch all together and keep on with the higher paid role of CM. In a lot of ways (especially if you need to earn a decent living) it's basically the same job but CM is paid better.

25 / F / US 

Currently: working as a construction project manager

PAST: BS Architecture UTSA/ MS Construction management UTEP

Applying for M.Arch I Fall 18

GRE: taking 11/12

GPA 3.0 Commulative and 3.4 last two years

INTERNSHIP/WORK: 4 months in china international firm as architectural designer, +1 year as construction project manager 

Schools interested in: UCLA, UMich, Berkeley, Cincinnati , sci arc, need a safe option!

LORs: 2 design studio professors and dept chair of architecture 

SOP: 0

Portfolio: 20% need to work on it NOW.

Looking for my safe option! i know sci arc has a high acceptance rate but is extremely expensive. would love live in california but I cant decide what could be my safe option.

any advices??!

can't even imagine the proofreading mistakes in that 20% portfolio

What's the point of these posts anyways?

The irony of requesting suggestions for a safe school at which to earn you M.Arch an inherently unstable profession, while currently holding a position in an incredibly "safe" position.  I can only assume by "construction project manager" that you work for an entity that acts as a "client representative" in the during the design phase.  From my perspective working on the design side, I have only seen CPM's working the project in a politically adversarial way, while doing nothing more than charging the client for not doing much more that compiling meeting minutes, things we usually do, but I digress.  

Anyway, you want to be safe, look for a solid in-state option.  This could either be in the state that you currently work, or where you want to end up.  Granted not all state schools are created equal, but having the paper from a school that's familiar to architects in the locale you plan on settling in is an often overlooked consideration.  It seems to make a big difference during the job search.  This is also something to consider when looking to get into the design/build world.  Folks having some kind of familiarity with your professional credentials, i.e. where you got you M.Arch, can also be a deciding factor in how much/what type of work you'll get.  Unless you have all the money, and will be acting as your own client, having a "local connection" will be important.  Also consider how much it will cost you, getting to the other end with the least amount of debt possible should be high on your list as well, unless, once again, you have all the money...  So for California your state MArch options are:

UC-LA

UC-Berkely

Cal State-Pomona

If you are planning to attend a state school in the area where you plan to settle, it may be worth checking if that school will let you claim residency upon moving for school. Some universities require you attend for more than one year and you can only claim residency (aka in state tuition) during your second year. Some schools don't allow you to claim residency at all if you moved to that state only to attend school and it is almost more of a benefit to move to that state the year before you apply to claim in state. 

No school is 'safe' but the state schools tend to be cheaper and with the exceptions of Berkeley and ucla easier to get into. UC and Pomona are probably the easiest out of all that have been mentioned.

It may be to your benefit to explain the initial low gpa if there was some personal reason for that and highlight the strong finish after you ostensibly overcame whatever obstacle was pulling you down. Assuming there was a reason which you shouldn't feel obligated to share here. Plenty of undergrads find themselves in a tight spot the first few years for whatever reason.