<p>I'm curious. Are they asking for their own reference, to see which schools their applicants frequently also apply to? To see their competition?</p>
<p>Or--are they using this information to somehow judge the applicant? How would they really use this information? It would all be guess work. </p>
<p>Should one list every school one is applying to? Hold some information back? Is one obliged to answer it at all?</p>
<p>You’re not obliged to answer that question. Leave it blank if it bothers you. I can’t imagine that the answer, or lack of answer, would have any impact on your application.</p>
<p>Personally I approach the question as if the college wants to see if they seem to fit with the other schools you are applying to or are probably a random school you are applying to for the heck of it. I wouldn’t list any schools substantially more selective then the school because it implies that they are a safety or low match. Other then that simply list a couple of the most similar schools that you are applying to…</p>
<p>It doesn’t bother me. I’m curious.</p>
<p>If it doesn’t matter, why is it part of the application? Is it simply for them to gather data and find their competition?</p>
<p>It’s probably just to gather data about their applicants, but who knows how they use it. </p>
<p>Personally I feel you should be 100% dishonest and list safety schools only, as if the school you’re applying to is your one and only dream school.</p>
<p>If the school uses “level of applicant’s interest” and the list of other schools makes it look like you are using that school as a safety, that could increase the risk of waitlist or rejection on the assumption that you won’t attend even if admitted.</p>
<p>Another possibility is that they are trying to guess what kind of merit scholarships they will need to offer you based on what other schools you are considering.</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing, ucbalumnus, but maybe because that’s my issue. My daughter is looking for merit aid and all the schools she’s going to apply to are in in that same category, except our state public.</p>
<p>Only put your state schools on it.</p>