<p>I can see where it wouldn't be much of an issue at Yale, or at any reach school, for that matter. But, if one isn't admitted to her/his reach or likely schools, s/he will have to rely on a safety - - and I fear that listing stronger schools may signal that, even w/ an offer of merit $, the prospect is not likely to attend. </p>
<p>Just wondering whether the politic, if untruthful, response is to list "competitor" schools. </p>
<p>(I have also heard stories of merit $ being based, at least in part on what the sch perceives at the prospect's other options - - ie: more money if sch thinks propsie is considering Yale or Brown, less if sch thinks propsie is considering Smith or Bates.)</p>
<p>I wonder if one can finesse the question by saying that s/he would be happy at any number of places and the level of selectivity isn't a concern (but the financial package is). Would this be too pushy? Or if one can just say something like, "I am looking at colleges that offer X, Y, and Z such as you do. You also have A & B, which I like. Of course, my final decision comes down to who accepts me and what the financial packages look like. I would like to know more about A. Can you tell me..." etc. Would an interviewer really continue to press for a list of names after that?</p>
<p>I don't know if true safeties don't accept kids with great credentials just because they think they might go elsewhere. They surely know that with enough money offered, as well as honors programs, that they lure kids from more highly ranked schools all the time.</p>
<p>Then again, do safeties even ask where else one is applying? I don't think my daughter's did. At hers it was a matter of submit a transcript with the minimum number of courses in certain areas and a minimum ACT score and you are automatically in. It also has rolling admissions -- so she had an acceptance before she ever interviewed with anyone else. This takes a lot of anxiety out of the process, believe me.</p>
<p>My only interview so far was at a school that could be considered a safety, and when the question came up I said "mostly liberal arts colleges and smaller universities" and went on to talk about why that particular school (a small women's college) was such a good fit for me... that particular strategy wouldn't work on applications, but in interviews it's a way to avoid mentioning names that's more subtle than "I prefer not to discuss it". On my actual applications I'll probably leave it blank.</p>
<p>hey i just read from wellesley's compulsory supplemental form for all international students. there is a question that goes like this '' list other colleges and universities to which you are applying(when applying to colleges in the US, it is customary to make several applications).'' It doesn't say that this is an optional question, so if i can't leave it blank, what's the best way to solve the problem? truthfully list everything in alphabetical order ? ? help needed..:)</p>
<p>Hmmm... If the question isn't "optional," I guess you should answer it. List them alphabetically sounds good. You could write something like, "list isn't finalized, still deciding" but it sounds evasive. I can't come up with a good solution other than to answer the question.</p>
<p>Careful. I read on another post that some guidance departments list on the transcript each college the HS transcript is forwarded to. Ergo your choices might be on the transcript forwarded to the school questioning you is a subsequent interview. Order of preference might be inferred by the first school you had your transcript forwarded to. To ignore the question might be viewed as an attempt to disguise your preferences and the inquiring school might then view themselves as a safety. Would this affect thier decision who knows? One poster here mentioned he thought he got a better package from a non-Ivy because they were aware he had applied to an Ivy and apparently did not want to lose him. Listing your schools in alphabetical order and specifying you did so is an excellent idea.</p>
<p>If Wellesley is an early application, you could say your list isn't finalized yet. You could change your mind before the RD deadline.</p>
<p>If it isn't an early app and the question isn't optional, I guess you need to list them and alphabetically is a good idea. I was remembering someone once telling me that schools aren't supposed to make this question anything but optional, but maybe it is different for international students. Either that or I'm remembering wrong or this person who said it was wrong. I've tried to do some searching on this but I'm not coming up with anything, including the post I'm (vaguely) remembering.</p>
<p>Another piece of the puzzle: ACT told me today that they DO NOT include a list of where they've sent scores when they send a score report to a school. So that, apparently, is not an avenue for schools to find out where else you've applied.</p>
<p>At this point in the admissions process my D is just saying other than our local CSU I haven't finalized my list-but my "dream" school is a smallerLAC. On the 1 application that asked she listed our local CSU and a peer school i the same geographical area.</p>
<p>I agree that early in the process one can finesse the question, and indeed, D2 responded "I'm not sure yet" during interviews this summer. But as the deadlines for EA (Nov 1st), ED (Nov 15th) and common app supplements (Dec 1st for some schools) approach, adcoms must know that "I'm not sure" and "some small LAC" are somewhat disingenuous responses. </p>
<p>I worry about that such lack of candor might reflect poorly on D2. On the other hand, a truly candid response would signal to some schools that they are "only" safeties. </p>
<p>I hate encouraging her to fudge her answers, but I don't see any other way out to this dilema.</p>
<p>I think it is honest to say, "I would be honored to attend College X should I be lucky enough to be admitted" regardless of where it is ranked on your secret crush list as a student. Reality is that April is a new era..and the offers may all look different then than the options do now..one may include a perk, another may be a shocking surprise, another may be a frustrating waitlist.<br>
My S was asked by a Duke alum straight out first thing in an interview where he was applying and what was his favorite choice, and where Duke was on the list! I think we have to expect this is a risk in any interview even if it is not kosher. I am sure my S blushed but he gave an honest list, and here is where I think he made points. He also acknowledged that he expected some waitlists and that he could not count on admission to his Reach colleges. He did "fudge" only by not revealing his top crush college, which was shifting sand anyway and changed month to month. When you truly love your match colleges, which I will give my S credit for, you come across as genuine in your interviews. So my advice is to help your student cope with crushes and to develop serious repect for their match colleges and to convey that keen respect in all interviews. You don't really know what you want until April, and even then our S made some visits to make the final decision and yours might, too.</p>
<p>S was asked this question at almost every one of his interviews. He didn't feel he needed to give a complete list because: he was applying rolling and early decision to two schools and the results of those would determine what he did for regular decision. Therefore, he just picked two or three potential schools that were on the same level as the school in question, and did avoid naming the reach schools. </p>
<p>I also remember reading last year (it was either in the New Yorker article or the Atlantic Monthly one on college admissions) that some schools look at the College Board score reports as a way to guess what your intentions are. The advice given was to remind your kids to list alphabetically on the application for the SATs and if you wanted to be even more insanely cautious, to put in separate score reports for each school, even if it meant not taking advantage of the free four that are sent.</p>
<p>Could't agree w/ you more about April being an entirely new bally game. When the dust settled, D1 chose a school a "match/reach" school over a "crush/lottery" that also offered her a seat -- a combination of the finaid package and a truly spectacular second visit at the "match/reach." Friends have reported similar turn-arounds w/ their kids.</p>
<p>In light of the April phenom, I think it's unfortunate that some interviewers push applicants for a ranking before the apps have all of the info - - or in some cases the most imp piece of info ($$). Recently, even after D2 stated that she had not considered ED b/c she would be applying for fin aid, the interviewer continued to press, stating, "Well, that's only an issue if a diff of $2-3K really matters to your family." D, who responded, "That's not what my mom says, and I have to trust my mom on this," feared she came off sounding like a baby. </p>
<p>I insisted that the problem was w/ the implied quest, not her answer. The culprit sch is not quite off the list, but D certainly dropped in in the rankings. Still, D feels bad - - so I'm just trying to avoid similar pitfalls. </p>
<p>(Seems the answer is to fudge by giving a few "peer" schools - - since quest is "where else have you applied" not "please list EVERY school to which you have applied." And, alphabet listing may not reveal student's preferences, but it's easy to spot the reach/match/safety: Brandeis, CMC, Conn Coll, Clark, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, Smith, Wooster)</p>
<p>I agree that your D's interviwer was out of line, pushing like that on the ED question.</p>
<p>It seems to me that really high test scores and grades would probably tell a "safety school" that they're likely not the only place you're applying.</p>