<p>Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question. Another parent told me that colleges have ways of finding out what other schools you are applying to. Is this true? Can they know if you don't tell them? (I am talking about an average student- not some super student)</p>
<p>^
Well it may be difficult to track which university every student is applying to, though some universities do ask what other universities your applying to.</p>
<p>For the most part, most colleges don’t care. There was a scandal recently where I think Yale took their students info (names, birthdays, SSNs) and used them to try to login to (I think) Princeton’s online admission tracking site so they could track cross-applicants. (My college got around this by giving me a unique admissions number) Also, if a college really needs to know, they’ll call your guidance councilor.</p>
<p>When you’re considering things like this, however, you have to remember that colleges get THOUSANDS of applicants and looking at their applications is a full time job, they don’t really want to make more work for themselves. (The same goes for the question of whether colleges avoid having too many acceptances from the same high school, it would take too long to sort out all the applications by high school.)</p>
<p>I have posted the same question, without getting a clear answer. My inquiry was in relation to the use of the common app. and the listing of multiple schools on it. </p>
<p>I have heard various opinions on this subject, ranging from yes they do know and use the info in admissions decisions. If you are applying to Ivies/MIT and Rice/WUSTL, will the latter group know about the other group and have “reservations” about being a safety and the effect on their admittance yield ratios?</p>
<p>As I am sure is the case for many people, our concern in applying to a number of schools has more to do with financial aid packages, than going to the “top” school.</p>
<p>It was the reverse of what you said, CMU. Princeton officials hacked into the Yale acceptance decisions by abusing Princeton applicants’ SSNs. Those at Princeton who did this were fired.</p>