<p>I am not a college interviewer, but in my opinion, the inteview process is a two-way street. The interview is about fit. You are both trying to determine if the school is a good fit for you. Obviously, the interviewer is aware that you have applied to other schools. You should be honest and be yourself.</p>
<p>Been burned.</p>
<p>D had a similar experience when applying to top prep schools. EVERY interviewer asked what other schools she was considering. And, they wrote it down. All of her choices are competitors for the same students. She wound up waitlisted at several and was reminded more than once that she was "sure to have several good choices", which was not the case. I know this similar situation happens when kids apply only to reaches/Ivies. In hindsight, and for S in a few years, the only school we will reveal as "under consideration" will be the one whose office we're sitting in! The admissions officer is after one thing: Securing the cream of the crop candidate. Admitting a student who is applying to all of your hottest competitors decreases the yield.</p>
<p>Why should the schools have a monopoly on the luxury of selection? Just try to get a return phone call once you're rejected!</p>
<p>Determine what information the school has access to and respond accordingly. If they won't know, don't tell them. You need to look out for your own best interests. I know other posters will say not to withhold information under any circumstances. I view it as manipulation of information, just as schools do (SATs, yield, GPAs). Success at admittance into your desired school is not about lofty ideals, it's about competition and numbers. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>I don't think the admissions officers are after the "cream of the crop" candidates, at least not at the most selective schools. Most of these places could fill their entering classes with applicants with (old-style) SAT scores of 1500-1600 and top 2% in class rank. They could do so without interviews and an expensive screening process. They wouldn't even have to read those essays.</p>
<p>After determining if the applicant is applicant is academically qualified (which is probably relatively simple in most cases), the most selective schools are looking for fit, contributions to extracurricular activies (including athletics, but also the arts, etc.). They are trying to create or sustain a vibrant college community, and it takes more than bright young scholars to build one. These are less easily measured criteria, but no less important, at least for the top schools.</p>
<p>I have only had experience as an alumni interviewer, but I have always assumed that the admissions office will have a much better picture of the academic qualifications of the applicant than I gain in a 1 hour interview. The interview is supposed to not only reveal aspects of the applicant that aren't readily apparent on the paper application, but also to give the applicant a better understanding of the advantages and unique aspects of the college. So there is a little selling going on in both directions. To really advocate for an applicant as a good fit for the college, the interviewer should be convinced that the student would not only qualify for the academic work, contribute to campus life in some meaningful way, but also fit in to the college community well enough to be happy there, stay and graduate (not want to be at a different kind of place and try to transfer after a year or two).</p>
<p>This is not to say that it's unreasonable to have wanted to go to Harvard, but end up at another large university. Or to have wanted to go to Williams, but end up at a somewhat less prestigious LAC. But what colleges probably want to avoid is the person who really wants to be at a LAC and ends up at Large U, or vice versa. </p>
<p>I think hoedown captured the essence well. I can only speak for my experience as an alumni interviewer, but I have never told the admissions office where the student said they were applying. If the applicant displays a solid knowledge of the college and convinces me that it is clearly their first choice, I have included that in my write-up. But, if the applicant seems to be applying to the college just because of its position on the USNWR list and shows no preference for the unique aspects of the college (big, small, undergrad only or with grad students, etc.) I am less likely to be convinced that my college is a good fit for them.</p>
<p>I think this question is a very unfair one to ask of applicants, unless the school/interviewer is prepared to make an immediate offer of acceptance upon the answer. I interview and hire for a large City government- I would never think to ask an applicant "where else are you applying for a job right now?". It is my responsibility to make on offer based on the applicants abilities, it is my responsibility to do my homework on backgrounds and interests.</p>
<p>What possible information, except screening for yield, can a school make of this info? Any interpretation of an applicants list would be trying to read the applicants mind and base an inference of their intentions on almost no knowledge. To claim it helps an interviewer tell if the school is a good fit is nonsense, and presumes the interviewer has great knowledge of a candidate they just met.</p>
<p>ADad I like your responses very much.</p>
<p>The cream of the crop could be the shining star in academics, athletics, musical talent, leadership, or simply an URM in any number of categories. </p>
<p>My point was that the admin officers, are often selecting from the same pool of applicants, so it's in your favor not to let them know how many other pools you're swimming in.</p>
<p>This has been a struggle for my D. Each school asked where she is applying. In addition, several asked what her top choice was, and she answered, even if the school was not her top choice.</p>
<p>We worked out a compromise response: She can name the schools she is applying to ( they see it on FAFSA anyway) but if pushed about preference the answer is "I would be a good fit at all of the schools I am applying to. Many factors will help me make a final decision, including the financial aid component."</p>
<p>As an alumni interviewer, I used to ask the question because I was interested. It's a fun thing to know. But after reading about this issue last year, I re-evaluated my behavior. I agree with those who say it isn't a fair question. I no longer ask any students where else they are applying. I do ask what they are looking for in a college and what types of experiences are they hoping to find. That said, I think its fine to give the list if asked. However, the ED issue is a whole other kettle of fish. I would not say I had applied early somewhere else and was rejected or deferred. It casts a bad shadow on the applicant. I like the "I wish I had applied early to your college" answer. Maybe even add:" if I could go back in time I would. Or. "if I didn't have any finacial constraints I would have applied early to your college" I think that if the student doesn't leave the interviewer with the impression that he or she would LOVE to go to the interviewer's college, the interview wasn't a success. You are at the interview becasue you want to be admitted. Try to make that happen. And if you didn't do good research and then discover during the interview that the college is totally wrong for you, well shame on you. You should do that homework before you apply and waste everyone's time.</p>
<p>First, I think much to much is being made of the interview. Many colleges state (in their Common Data Set and elsewhere) that the interview is at most "considered", not "important" or "very important." The college I interview for says that they will go back and re-read the alumni interview as one of several possible tie-breakers, but it sounds like it has little real impact in the vast majority of cases.</p>
<p>Second, I think it is unreasonable to say that they "shouldn't be allowed" to ask questions about what other schools or kinds of schools you are interested in. Although it is true that it would be unusual to ask in a job interview what other jobs the applicant is looking at, there would be many questions about what type of job the applicant is looking for. If the applicant is looking for promotion opportunities every 6 months and substantial international travel, and the job doesn't provide those, then neither the employee nor the employer is likely to be happy if the applicant gets the job. So, in my experience, there is quite a lot of attention paid to "fit" in the hiring process. In the same way it is understandable that colleges are interested in "fit."</p>
<p>In the vast majority of cases I think applicants should look at the interview as a way to get more information about the college and to highlight anything in their record, both academic and otherwise, that will not be obvious or clear in their written application. Unless you come across as either the next Albert Einstein or the next Ted Kaczynski, the interview is not likely to tip your application one way on another. (NB this might not be entirely true if the college says that the interview is an important factor in the admissions decision -- you should probably check this out before the interview)</p>
<p>dadx3: There is a world of difference between asking "what specific other schools did you apply to" and "what kind of college are you interested in?". Colleges should be interested in fit with thier own student body and philosophy of education- and not worry about how the applicant fits with a different college. You can get all the information you need about an applicant, and measure "fit" without putting a kid on the spot. I would never ask questions that either dont have a helpful answer (Why didn't you apply here ED?) or an obvious question that begs an obvious answer ( Is our college your first choice- Yes, I would sacrafice my first born to be admitted.)</p>
<p>It does occur to me that the interviewer may have another reason for asking the question- they are just being nosy.</p>
<p>What do you do when you have been admitted, non-binding EA, at another school but still might be interested other schools?</p>
<p>mcgilldad,
I would agree that kids should not be put on the spot to reveal exactly which other colleges they are applying to. I don't think I have ever asked the question that way -- I would usually ask something like "what kinds of colleges and universities are you looking at?" and see how the conversation went from there. As hoedown mentioned, the answer can prompt useful discussion of advantages and disadvantages of small schools, big schools, etc.</p>
<p>dadx3: That is a fair way to ask the question. Another question would be "did your preferred school-type change during your college serch process?". That would ask the same thing, without hinting at a specific school.</p>
<p>Huh. I've always heard that one should never answer these sorts of questions at all. Isn't it an optional question when it shows up on the applications themselves?</p>
<p>Anyway, when my daughter was asked, she just told them that she didn't care to divulge that or wasn't comfortable talking about that. The interviewers always moved on and didn't seem particularly perturbed or anything, according to her. Maybe they realized, hey, here is an applicant who has figured us out!</p>
<p>I wish I could remember where I saw the discussion of being asked about other applications. If I find it, I'll post something.</p>
<p>When my daughter was asked in one interview why she didn't apply earlier (i.e. ED), she said she applied as early as she got her materials together to apply. That seemed to be good enough. It is the school she is now attending.</p>