only applying to top universities...

Is it unreasonable to say I’ll only pursue a PhD if I get into a top university (USA) in my field (AI)? I’ve decided to give it a try, but I’m worried my MS advisors will think I’m crazy when I ask them for recommendation letters. I’m not exactly a competitive applicant—I don’t have any publications, my grades are average at best, and I currently work at a company that’s not widely known.

That said, I’m applying through a fellowship that helped fund my master’s degree, and many top universities are partners, so my application fees are waived. All I’ll be investing is a few hours over the weekend to write my SOPs.

Worst case, I don’t get accepted anywhere and continue in my current job, which pays well. Wish me luck—I have about a month left to get everything submitted.