<p>This section is optional, so is it recommended to fill it in? Will it affect the way other colleges see your app?</p>
<p>Umm… I never saw this on MY common app.</p>
<p>I apologize, it was on the supplement for a few of the colleges I am applying to.</p>
<p>Oh, I see. Hmm… tough choice to make - it can’t help or hurt. I would say leave it blank if you are applying to similar or more selective schools. But if that college is your “reach” why not list a few safeties you are applying to?</p>
<p>bump? 10 char</p>
<p>According to NACAC standards, they shouldn’t ask you about this, or at least can’t require you to answer.</p>
<p>Don’t list safeties. If you list other colleges here, list only colleges that are comparable in at least the following areas: Academic rigor (as measured by GPA and SAT median range of the recent freshman class), price, and geography.</p>
<p>This question is there to help the college manage its yield. If you live in the Southwest and you’re applying to six colleges in California – and this one in Minnesota – they may wonder whether you’re serious about attending if they accept you. If you’re applying to several colleges that show much higher stats than this one, they may think, “We’re the safety,” and figure you’re not going to show up. Conversely, if you’re applying to several colleges with lower stats, they may think, “This kid may not be XX material.” (It won’t work for you that they’re better than the other schools – if they were your dream school, you’d have applied EA or ED.) If you’re applying to several more inexpensive colleges and this more expensive one, they may see cost as a potential barrier to your enrollment. All of these considerations may affect their decision to accept you, because they want to accept students who will enroll and will succeed.</p>
<p>So keep your list comparable, if you choose to answer the question at all.</p>
<p>just be honest xD</p>