<p>I had an interview today, where my interviewer asked me to name the other colleges that I was applying to. I didn't want to offend him and the college because it's one of my top choices, but I did apply early decision somewhere. So I told him that I wasn't applying ED anywhere. Can a college check what other colleges you are applying to?</p>
<p>They see them listed on the FAFSA I think, and some ask on the application. Your college might find out that you applied ED, but probably only if you got admitted, in which case you dont have to worry about it anyway.</p>
<p>The Ivies share admission information...they know exactly which schools you apply to. Its a conspiracy against us...</p>
<p>Wow, that sucks</p>
<p>I think the list sharing is more of a way to make sure a kid didn't apply ED to two schools. Its probably also a way to break down application demographics and stuff.</p>
<p>or maybe they ask on applications what other schools your applying to in order to see where their prospective student body is going, and next year try to market better than them?! ;)</p>
<p>beechling.. i did the same thing.</p>
<p>Damn, Ivies share info?</p>
<p>When you fill out the CSS Profile, it lists all the schools that you've submitted information too.</p>
<p>CSS?</p>
<p>and do they really see it on FAFSA?</p>
<p>The ivies do not share information on their applicants. Though you should not have fibbed, it is highly unlikely that the interviewer will either check or find out whether you applied ED to another school.</p>
<p>Drusba, one Harvard interviewer I know specifically does ask what schools you've applied to ED or EA.</p>
<p>drusba, ivies do share info. why wouldn't they?</p>
<p>CSS=College Scholarship Service via The College Board.</p>
<p>If you don't apply for aid or a scholarship...do they still know?</p>
<p>Our college counselor told us that yes, they do share information.</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that they share that information. For one, I believe that it would violate antitrust regulations. Remember, back in the 90s the ivies and MIT were sued by the federal government for sharing their "admitted students" lists. This was done for the purpose making sure that one school did not offer a student who was accepted to multiple schools a better financial aid package than another school. The ivies agreed to halt these actions.</p>
<p>If school can't share lists of admitted students, I would think that sharing prospective student lists would also run afoul of antitrust regulations.</p>
<p>As to the response above that Harvard interviewers asked to which schools you have applied EA or ED, that is different from the colleges actually sharing applicant information with each other. They can ask you whatever they want. As to why colleges would not share information: there are laws that prevent them from doing so. They can exchange statistical info such as total applicants, admission rates, etc., but once they start exchanging information that actually identifies the particular applicants, they can run into trouble. In 2002, Princeton was actually caught hacking into Yale's computer to see if students that applied and were accepted to Princeton had also applied and been accepted to Yale. A FBI investigation ensued, and it escaped ramifications by apologizing and assuring it would take action to prevent it from happening again.</p>
<p>If a school asks you which schools you're applying to, and to rank them in terms of your preference, are you obligated to answer? is it bad if you don't answer?</p>
<p>I will never advocate lying, but this is a situation for "judicious truth telling". A Harvard interviewer asking you point blank after the ED deadline - "where did you apply ED?" You may as well tell the truth. It is a rather rude question, although just asking where else you are applying really isn't.
Think about it this way - Harvard has got way more applicants than they know what to do with, this is more about them wanting you than YOU wanting them. They know that the students they really want are probably applying to Yale, Stanford, MIT etc, so who cares. The students that they admit who aren't the highly sought after candidates, those students are selected somewhat randomly, for reasons that by the time of the interview, you aren't going to be able to influence in any way. What you wouldn't want to say is "I applied to Yale EA, and I'm applying to Harvard because M & D insist that I apply."</p>
<p>The judicious truth telling comes in at the "less than HYPS" interviews. It is incredibly rude and unfeeling for the interviewer to ask you where are you applying and, by the way, rank them in terms of preference! Think about that for a minute. To answer this question, group your schools into like groups - geographically, if you are applying to wide flung schools and selectivity wise (no one wants to realize they are the safety) - then answer with the appropriate group. Other helpful answers are "my rankings are still in flux, going up and down" "School X is one of my top 2 choices, and I just can't decide - help me decide, why did you pick School X?"and the tried and true blame it on the parents "M & D want me to leave my options open until I receive acceptances, so I can make a better choice, but I am very impressed with School X".</p>
<p>I really don't think the Harvard interviewer marks down - whoa, applied Columbia ED, Harvard's just RD, he's out - I'm not sure they have that much power, and I think he is more looking for "appropriateness of other choices" - MIT, Caltech and Harvard, "Why Harvard?" would be a natural question.</p>