<p>I don't think it is lying to answer the question but not completely. I know that giving too much info is dangerous in many scenarios. Our college counselors advise giving partial lists when an app asks where else a kid applied. The same can be done with the interview question, especially if the kid applied to more than one school early through early action and rolling admissions, or just getting the apps out early. And then changing gears. If the interviewer is persistant and goes for a complete confession, there really isn't much else to do than to tell him. A furtive kid, tapdancing away at avoiding answers from a skilled, if not ethical interviewing is not gonna have a chance of looking good unless he is a born liar, or tells the truth. It's something to discuss with your kid, that sometimes you get the wrong question, wrong interviewer and that's why you apply to more than one school. Not that it will necessarily blow the interview. Colleges do not care about the answer and it is doubtful that info is going to be transmitted, even, but the way the kid acted during the interview will be examined. </p>
<p>If you have an adcom going to bat for you, it is usually a borderline case where the guy sees something above and beyond the black and white of the paperwork. He is sticking out his neck, and wants a commitment. You get that for athletic recruiting too. Invariably, the coach wants a commitment, even as you are not sure you are gettinga a commitment from him. A tricky situation. I know that at some schools that if you are waitlisted, the headmaster or college counselor will go to bat for you especially if there is a relationship there between the school and the college, but at that level, you understandably have to make that commitment. Some highschools will even do a full court press for one college on your list if you commit that you will go there. Probably because that would be a major selling point--that you are committed to go there whereas another candidate from the same school may not be. There are times when it is appropriate to ask for a commitment, but I don't think that early in the process it is. Too much can happen and change. But at that 11th hour, that is a different story.</p>
<p>As to colleges considering where else you applied, I don't believe that will affect the outcome, and any of the data I have seen does not support that at all. It get to be a game to the nth degree of probablilty when you start getting into that stuff. If you are applying to top schools and the school looking at your file is clearly not at that selectivity level, they would be foolish to lay aside your app as I doubt many kids who are at your level would not be applying to such schools. The number of kids at schools like Tufts, Hopkins, CMU, Emory who applied to the ivies is staggering and those kids are often among the top academic stats in the entry pool of those schools. Colleges are too concerned with those numbers to write off kid who have applied to schools more selective than theirs. The adcoms well know that most of those kids are not going to get into those first choices. More kids who applied to those top schools get into the next tier of selectivity, than kids who have the next tier as their reach schools.</p>
<p>I agree that a student shouldn't lie when answering such a question. Perhaps the interviewer already knows the answer to the question?</p>
<p>I like the humorous reply and would say, "Well I gave Harvard it's chance and they blew it don't you think?" combined with a chuckle and a smile. You have answered the question honestly with self-depricating humor that shows the interviewer that you do not seem disappointed in the result. And you have probably avoided telling him of any EA applications hanging out there.</p>
<p>It's just tough for kids that age that are already stressing about the interview to be hit with questions that imply the answer can impact the admissions decision. It's really the demeanor that I would think counts, not the answer.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse, at the most selective schools , everybody is borderline. ;)</p>
<p>originaloog and cptofthehouse -- exactly! Using humor, tact, and/or guileless sincerity convey that the interviewee has the right stuff.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, at the most selective schools, you don't usually get someone giving you a special push with the adcoms on the promise that the school is first choice, unless you are an athlete. Someone may advocate for you, but I have never heard of a situation where you needed to commit first other than in an athletic situation. </p>
<p>Celloguy, it's easy to say how you should swing it, but doing it is a whole different story. I would not be comfortable in such a situation, and I don't know how skilled I would be in not looking furtive as I am uptight on interviews anyway. At age 18, I would not have had a chance. I don't think being able to handle those type of questions is really what makes a kid a better ivy prospect. From what I know, it is not the type of interview that those schools want from their alums.</p>
<p>cptn, was this discussion about a commitment or promise to an interviewer? If so, I missed that. Begging your pardon. My comments had absolutely nothing to do with that scenario.</p>
<p>cptofthehouse, you said it's really the demeanor that counts, and that's what I was agreeing with, so I'm surprised to hear you say now that a topnotch 18-year-old's demeanor would fail him/her if the kids gets asked a tough question. As an interviewer, I'd put some weight there. I've never interviewed for colleges, but have done many professional interviews -- tact, humor, and quick thinking are qualities I've been looking for.</p>
<p>I guess it would be a "test" of sorts. But I would think that a kid who is not expecting that question might get furtive. It is a tough question. Do you lie, as the first posts on this thread suggest? To tell the truth, the partial truth, deflect, change the subject? Mmm. I know I would not do well. But then I'm not going for a top school these days either.</p>
<p>I hope I wouldn't lie, and maybe I'm a bit defensive because I've always been easily intimidated by unpredictable situations. Perhaps that fueled my outraged response to the first posters. You know, I'm not very good at thinking on my feet, so to speak. I've always greatly admired people who are. I love good improv. The people I've hired have been writers and editors, so of course wit was an essential job requirement. I do think, though, that thriving at an elite college would require an agile mind. I'm a bit of a plodder myself.</p>