[cdavidcash]

You might find the blog post linked below encouraging. It was written by a professor at UIUC.

http://3dpancakes.typepad.com/ernie/2005/03/re_phd_with_low....

My advice is think about what you really want to do, and why you want to do it. If you want to do good research then it makes sense to apply to highly ranked PhD programs because they will give you a support system to help you learn. If you just want to own a PhD from a specific school, then it will be harder to get in, harder to finish, and less meaningful when you're done.

My advice for your specific goal is to somehow get involved with a professor's research. Preferably someone who will be recognized by admission committees. Their letter will help a lot. This might involve getting an MS at the highest-ranked school you can get admitted to. Sadly, those programs are not usually funded (as opposed to American PhD programs).