Thanks ChoatieMom. Much appreciated. I suspect it occurs more in recruiting scenarios.i.e football, soccer, lacrosse. i wonder if anyone out there has been asked that is largely an academic applicant.
My child agrees that this is more likely a question for athletics since a school may need a certain position, but not need three of those players and needs to clarify who really wants the spot. As an academic applicant, he was never asked by anyone to specify if the school was first choice. Gungakid suggested that it would be a silly question to ask as the answer would likely often be untruthful. And I totally agree with @PhotographerMom that what looks to be first choice in interview season appears quite different later. Based on review of materials and net surfing, FC school and second choice were clear, but after interviews, FC was not impressive and second choice didn’t even end up with an application. So two hours of interview/visit can change a lot. But two hours for interview/visit isn’t much and a great deal more is seen on a revisit that can change order dramatically. Even after my kid’s second revisit, when he could not have been happier with every single thing he saw that day at that school, he ended up attending . . . . not that school. It’s just not over til it’s over.
ChoatieCadet, certainly no athlete at the time, was asked this question by one school; he named that school’s rival. Interviewer was practically in tears with laughter when he reported this to us. Thus my suggestions above.