<p>I have been given 2 different answers to this question by 2 highly knowledgable sources.
One says they do know, and you should not apply to more than 8-9 colleges because you will get a high number of deferrals, as colleges will think you don't know where you want to go and are likely to reject them and mess up their yield.
The other says no, they don't know and so it doesn't matter, as long as you can do a good job on 10 or above apps.
We were also advised to cast a wide net to try to maximize aid options, as we have a somewhat complicated financial picture.</p>
<p>I assume they won't know unless you mention it or answer the question on the application. I doubt they'd have time to go call all the other colleges and ask where you're applying. I mean, how could they?</p>
<p>Well, sometimes they ask you on their application, or the interviewer will ask you. And I'm sure that schools will talk to each other; I know that the Ivies do.</p>
<p>If you fill out the names of all the colleges you are applying to on your common app. and apply to all of them with one click, then all of those common app colleges are aware of where else you are applying. The way to avoid this is to send your application one-at-a-time to each common app college, deleting the name of the previous college from the send to field each time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And I'm sure that schools will talk to each other; I know that the Ivies do.
[/quote]
That's not true.</p>
<p>Schools will not know where else you're applying. If it comes up in an interview (it did in one of mine), answer intelligently. Just name a select 2 or 3, and be smart about how you answer.</p>
<p>Or name an obvious one with an obvious safe choice. My son always mentions UWashington because it's his instate flagship school (I think every kid in the state who wants to go to college also applies to UW, "just to be sure" -- whether it is their first or twelfth choice), and another instate school that is less selective. Our theory (which is based on nothing other than a guess) is that these are so obvious that no admissions officer elsewhere would consider them a "threat."</p>
<p>Actually colleges do know. The list of colleges will be on the SAT score report you send out to all of them.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The list of colleges will be on the SAT score report you send out to all of them.
[/quote]
I'm nearly positive it's not. The score report YOU get is different from the one the colleges receive.</p>
<p>They don't talk to each other. Just think logically, even though it might be on the SAT score report. </p>
<p>Stanford: Do you have applicant #20394 applying?
Yale: Yup
Cal: Yup
Princeton: Yup
Stanford: You want him?
Yale: Nope
Cal: Nope
Princeton: Nope
Stanford: You wanna draw straws? Or just reject him altogether?
Princeton: Let's just reject him and hear him whine on CC about how all his 'dream' colleges rejected him.
Cal: Ok. HAhahahaha</p>
<p>See, they can't talk about all the thousands of applicants applying nationwide. They just don't have time.</p>
<p>I know for sure that the list of colleges (I think it's limited to six at a time) is on the FAFSA and each school can see all the others.</p>
<p>So list them in alphabetical order!</p>
<p>but if a school is need-blind, adcoms wont be looking at FAFSA</p>
<p>i thought it was illegal for colleges to compare their pools like that...</p>
<p>One possible way they might know is from your school transcript. I have heard that our school lists the colleges on the back on the transcript for administration purposes and that students have been complaining about it.</p>
<p>ill have to talk to my counselor about ^ this!</p>
<p>My Brown interviewer asked me where else I was applying, but luckily I anticipated this and asked my boss about it.. he told me that Ivies and such usually get students who apply to other Ivies, so I said, "A couple other Ivies and some UCs." Didn't mention the Stanford SCEA.. (:</p>
<p>And I've also heard that UCLA and Berkeley talk to each other, which is why their decisions come out so late, and that you'll usually only get into one -- of course, this could be total rumor. Luckily, I have no interest in going to Berkeley. (;</p>
<p>also, the CSS Profile lists which colleges you sent it to... it says right on the college board website that all colleges will get to see where else you are sending the CSS Profile... one way to avoid this is to send it to a couple colleges now, then a few later... the ones who get the first report won't get to see the names of the colleges who get the second report... it will cost you an extra $5 each time you send the CSS profile, but it might be worth $5 or $10 to keep certain colleges about finding out where else you are applying... just remember that the second report that you send will include the names of the colleges who received the first report... at least this is my assumption as to how it works (based on my son's app 2 yrs ago)...</p>
<p>Dude supposing colleges do have the time and energy to spare to find out where else i've applied.....why do they care ?
What could they possibly do with that information?</p>
<p>Columbia Adcom incharge: Find out where else this guy has applied
Assistant : Yes sir
---- a few hours and many phone calls later ----
Assistant : Sir, it turns out he's applied to A, B, C, D and E colleges as well.
Columbia Adcom incharge: Ok....
Assistant: So.......
Columbia Adcom inchange: so....... ?
Assistant: ?
Columbia Adcom incharge: ?!!!!???
Assistant: Sir, what do we do about him
Columbia Adcom incharge: ...............................</p>
<p>^^^^
Assistant: Sir, again, what do we do about him?
Columbia Adcom incharge: Remind me what the codes A, B, D, and E stand for.
Assistant: A = Harvard, B=Yale, C=Kansas State, D=WUSTL and E=Princeton.
Columbia Adcom incharge: Reject!
Assistant: Why, he has 4.0 \ 2400 etc
Columbia Adcom incharge: I don't want to hurt your yield. Decision is made. Move on to the next!</p>
<p>I can see how this would be a problem at schools like WUSTL, who may (as a result of seeing higher tier schools on the applicants list) reject "overqualified" candidates</p>
<p>ok, I'm pretty sure stanford and harvard talk about their applicants, at least to some extend.
harvard admission officer came to my school. she said that the harvard dean of admission is a good friend with stanford dean.
because my school is in CA, she specifically said that hopefully we choose harvard over stanford if we get into both. I remember she mentioned something about they do know which applicant goes to stanford just for comparison purpose or statical purpose or something, but she guaranteed me that they would be like, "ok I'll admit student A, you take student B"</p>
<p>
[quote]
I've also heard that UCLA and Berkeley talk to each other, which is why their decisions come out so late, and that you'll usually only get into one
[/quote]
that's a very scary throught. I really care about getting into berkeley. what if i specifically mention I want to go to Cal in my application essay to all UCs.</p>