Still Wondering??

[SDonCC]

<p>What college admissions departments need to realize is this: whether it’s at an audition, or at a person’s home, applicants and their families “read into” the communications they receive and the questions they are being asked. What does the college mean by this when they send this letter to me? Why are they asking me to list the colleges I’m applying to? This comes up on many forums on CC. (On schools that required this – BA, not theater programs – I told my kids to leave that blank!). I just spent considerable time on a thread on the Oberlin forum about what families perceived as misleading communications on the part of the school after applications had been sent.</p>

<p>I think that asking students to list where else they’ve applied is inappropriate and insensitive on the part of any institution. </p>

<p>The only time it’s appropriate, IMO, is, as Soozie said, AFTER the decisions have been made when the students are sending in their replies, and at this point, the students can make a decision as to whether to give the colleges the data they’re seeking.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>kjgc suggested that if the question is asked where else you applied, that it is OK to just give a few schools, which is what my daughter did. But then the program asked her on the spot why she didn’t apply to NYU, which she had applied to but wasn’t one of the five schools she listed (which were all schools she also truly applied to). This was pretty awkward, though my D handled it well, in my view, and was still admitted to this other BFA in MT that asked the question.</p>

<p>SDonCC, yes, I think a school asking where else you applied when the student gives their intent to enroll or not, should satisfy a college’s need for such data and that is the time to ask it. To ask during the admissions phase seems to have other intentions, on the college’s part, that may be weighed in deciding whether or not to accept the student and making guesses if the student would attend or not. Instead, they should decide if the applicant would attend or not based on their demonstrated interest and fit.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>

What college admissions departments need to realize is this: whether it’s at an audition, or at a person’s home, applicants and their families “read into” the communications they receive and the questions they are being asked. What does the college mean by this when they send this letter to me?

</p>

<p>I think this is a good general point to make. Unrelated to the issue of “where else did you apply,” I have seen a few written communications from a handful of colleges to students this year that I think have been inappropriate and misleading. I don’t want to get into the specifics of each one here. But I think if I were involved in the admissions at a college, I’d be interested in such feedback about how certain communications are perceived. I say this as an objective observer as the written communications I saw from these particular schools didn’t involve me personally and so I didn’t have any emotional attachment.</p>

[NotMamaRose]

<p>Oh, some of the schools definitely ask you to write down the other schools at which you are auditioning, and one (it was Ithaca College, I think) asks you not only to write down the other programs, but to rank them in order of your preference. I think this is a horribly awkward and unfair thing to ask kids to answer, and basically encourages them (forces them, almost?) to be deceptive. Of COURSE the kids are going to put Ithaca down as their top choice,when Ithaca is the school asking the question.</p>

[snapdragonfly]

<p>Absolutely agree with SDonCC’s point about kids and parents reading into that question.</p>

<p>As fraught with angst and worry and uncertainty as this process is - knowing full well that even an incredibly talented kid can somehow roll snake eyes and end up with NO offers from any school other than the safeties because it can and has happened and that it is entirely possible that THEY might be that one - it is only natural that every little part of the process is going to be something applicants stress over, try to analyze, try to figure out what the “right” answer is.</p>

<p>Prospective students aren’t trying to be deceitful - they are just trying to make sure they don’t somehow blow their shot at actually getting into a program! It’s kind of a vicious cycle. The harder it gets to get into a program, the more programs kids apply to, so the worse the numbers are (for the applicants.) There is much in the press lately about this phenomenon (greatly influenced by the wider acceptance of the Common App) in the Ivy applications but of course we see exactly the same thing in MT.</p>

<p>I can’t remember exactly how many of the applications D filled out that asked for what other schools she was applying to but I know more of them did than didn’t. In fact I can’t think offhand of which ones did NOT ask. Seems almost all of them did.</p>

<p>It was a stressful question for us because if they didn’t intend to use that as information on which to base their decision, why ask it? I realize from Ken’s answer that there can be other reasons but those aren’t listed on that app and the natural and first reaction to an applicant is “OH NO what if this is THE tie breaker question between myself and someone very similar to me and my answer somehow makes them not pick me?”</p>

<p>I guarantee this is what many if not most applicants are thinking. How can we not when it’s SOOO iffy and the numbers at some schools are so very daunting?</p>

<p>Of course if you have a tidy little pile of true safeties that are in no way a compromise of anything you truly want in a program you would think there wouldn’t be so much angst in the process, but, A)True safeties that you know for a fact to be just as good as the cherry on top schools are kinda hard to find and B) even if you have one or two you STILL feel this way. lol. Human nature. You try hard not to fall in love with a particular school but sometimes, especially after a visit, you just do.</p>

<p>I can see how this information is valuable to the schools. I sympathize with their plight. I myself am sitting here feeling like my daughter and I should send flowers to all the schools we sent “oh dear, we have to say no thank you” letters to because I feel bad turning them down when they were nice enough to like my D and accept her and/or offer her money.
But I think perhaps asking that question after the acceptance, as soozie suggests, should be considered as a possible humane compromise. </p>

<p>It’s not the end of the world to not get accepted to a program, as my D did not get accepted to plenty of them and yet we have lived to tell the tale…but…it can kinda feel like it MIGHT be sometimes, when you are in the middle of the craziness and so very far from May 1 still. I’m so happy and relieved now that it’s all over but I won’t ever forget the horrible uncertainty and feeling that every move and word was being gone over with a microscope!</p>

[stagedoor22]

<p>I’m so glad to hear that there’s a name to this “syndrome”, SoozieVT! Two of the schools went a step further with this and it created some very real panic with my D. Two of the schools actually said… “Well, you’ve applied to “…other top schools”. And you’re going to get into them. So why should I offer you admittance? I’d be wasting an offer to someone else who will go here if we made you an offer.” After the second instance, my D got very worried. She realized that if schools really thought she would get into these other schools and that she would go there over their own program that they might not offer her admission even though she “would have been offered admission” if that hadn’t been considered. She was upset because she was very realistic about her chances of getting into these “other top schools”. The very real possibility of not getting into any of the schools they mentioned and not getting offers at other schools because of “tufts syndrome” made her really panic at one point. She did not get into the “other top schools” these auditioners mentioned. She did feel she handled the question well though. She said that she would fairly consider all acceptances and choose the school that fit HER the best across all aspects of the school, program and financials. She indicated that she hoped their school was on the list of acceptances she would be able to consider.</p>

[kjgc]

<p>We are still talking about two different things. One is asking a student to determine what is best based on only a small part of the overall picture, the other is asking students to chat about where else they are applying. We are all fairly friendly to one another and likely have friends or at least acquaintances at the other universities. So, it is not likely we will feel either inferior or superior in any way. But again, maybe that’s just me. Seems that there are enough egos in the world of theatre that the Tuft’s Syndrome is unlikely to exist at the program level. </p>

<p>I’m saddened that there is so much read into somewhat inconsequential questions as “where else are you looking?” Perhaps I need to take it out of my repertoire of colloquial questions during the interview process. I’ve always known that the students who tell me that we are their number one choice, likely said the same thing the previous weekend. (Before you complain, I’ve never asked where the program ranked in terms of choices.) As someone suggested, it’s ridiculous to even ask that question - why would anyone answer anything other than, “you are my favorite!”</p>

[kjgc]

<p>By the way, every student that has said “no” to us over the past couple of years has been asked where it was that they were going to attend in the fall. Some answer, but not many. Again. Their choice. Not really that big of an issue, but the schools like to know where it is everyone is ending up. That information can be retrieved through other methods if it is vital. But it isn’t. Helpful to be sure, but not vital.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>Well, l lost a post I wrote (program quit near the end of it!) and it took me a long time to create it as I was trying to offer others more information on this topic and provided links. I guess I’ll recreate it, because I feel badly I lost it all, though I should get back to my real job! :)</p>

<p>The topic of this thread has been discussed a lot on CC in the past, both on the MT Forum and other forums on CC. I get the feeling that many who read and participate on CC’s Musical Theater Forum are not familiar with the many other forums on CC, let alone the other parts of CC such as the articles, Ask the Dean, college searches (“Supermatch”), college visits reports (“Get the Campus Vibe”), and other information and resources on this site. </p>

<p>The question about “where else have you applied?” was actually addressed in an Ask the Dean column on CC. The “Dean” is Sally Rubenstone, a colleague of mine, who is a Senior Advisor on CC, a college counselor, and a former admissions officer at a selective college. She remarks, as I have, that the majority of colleges do not ask this question. Here is her column on this:</p>

<p>[Should</a> Colleges Know Where Else You’ve Applied? - Ask The Dean](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000093.htm]Should”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000093.htm)</p>

<p>This topic has been on several CC discussion forums and here are some sample discussion threads from the past:</p>

<p>From CC’s Parents Forum:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/34373-secret-plot-interviewers-asking-where-else-you-applied.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/34373-secret-plot-interviewers-asking-where-else-you-applied.html&lt;/a&gt;
(I notice I participated on this thread back in 2005 when D2 had this question asked by a few of her BFA in MT programs that year)</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/386644-why-do-colleges-ask-schools-youre-applying.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/386644-why-do-colleges-ask-schools-youre-applying.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>From CC’s College Admissions forum:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/440881-when-colleges-ask-you-where-else-you-have-applied.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/440881-when-colleges-ask-you-where-else-you-have-applied.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/288500-when-colleges-ask-where-else-youve-applied.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/288500-when-colleges-ask-where-else-youve-applied.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/263456-do-colleges-know-where-else-youve-applied.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/263456-do-colleges-know-where-else-youve-applied.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/413894-when-colleges-ask-where-else-you-sending-apps.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/413894-when-colleges-ask-where-else-you-sending-apps.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1015291-should-i-say-what-other-colleges-i-am-applying.html?highlight=list+colleges[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1015291-should-i-say-what-other-colleges-i-am-applying.html?highlight=list+colleges&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>From CC’s Harvard Forum:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/847844-why-do-interviewers-ask-where-else-you-applied.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/847844-why-do-interviewers-ask-where-else-you-applied.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I mentioned so-called Tufts Syndrome earlier in this thread and there have been discussions about that on CC as well for anyone interested in this concept:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/72457-tufts-syndrome.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/72457-tufts-syndrome.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/1014194-tufts-syndrome.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/1014194-tufts-syndrome.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/306951-what-exactly-tufts-syndrome.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/306951-what-exactly-tufts-syndrome.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/46266-whats-so-called-tufts-syndrome.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/46266-whats-so-called-tufts-syndrome.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/919606-difference-between-tufts-syndrome-protecting-yield-rate.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/919606-difference-between-tufts-syndrome-protecting-yield-rate.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/607801-there-vaccine-tufts-syndrome.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/607801-there-vaccine-tufts-syndrome.html?highlight=tufts+syndrome&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Lastly PLEASE NOTE:</p>

<p>The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice states:</p>

<p>

Postsecondary members agree that they will:</p>

<ol>
<li>not require candidates or the secondary schools to indicate the order of the candidates’ college or university preferences, except under Early Decision plans;

</li>
</ol>

<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres...FE8/0/SPGP.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres...FE8/0/SPGP.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[soozievt]

<p>kjgc,
I’m having difficulty reconciling these two statements in conjunction:</p>

<p>

Seems that there are enough egos in the world of theatre that the Tuft’s Syndrome is unlikely to exist at the program level.

</p>

<p>

Most students get multiple offers, and many students are talented. While I don’t understand why a school would expect an answer to such a question the simple fact remains that the school is more likely to make offers to students they expect to accept the invitation.

</p>

<p>I don’t think Tufts Syndrome is about “ego.” You say it is unlikely to exist at the program level. But by the same token, you say the fact remains that a school is more likely to make offers to students they expect to accept the invitation of admission. </p>

<p>So, let’s say you have a young guy or gal who is one of the top talented MT teenagers you have ever seen audition at your program…someone on the level who maybe was a finalist for the NFAA Young Arts award in MT, who had substantial achievements as a MT actor, and who was a student who would be quite competitive for the likes of a program like CMU or UMichigan (which many believe to be more difficult to gain admission to than CCU). </p>

<p>There would be two ways to go about your decision…one would be to want to lure such a talented actor to your program to enhance the program and maybe even offer significant scholarships to get such a student. The other approach would be to figure such a kid who appiled to CCM, CMU, UMich and the like and is this outstanding in both their audition and record of achievements, is likely going to go elsewhere and so opt to not admit them (Tufts Syndrome). </p>

<p>You say a program wouldn’t operate in the second scenario I just gave but also say that you would not be apt to accept someone unless you ascertain that they are likely to take up your invitation.</p>

<p>Remember, a student typically applies to a college because they are indeed interested in it. At the point of the audition/application, some applicants have not yet figured out which school or factors in a college they want the most and some haven’t even yet visited the college enough to know. In the case of your program, for example, you audition kids at Unifieds and many have never visited yet.</p>

<p>By asking where else a student is applying, it comes across that this is partly used in determining if you feel the student is likely to attend your school if accepted. Otherwise, I don’t see the point in asking because you can figure out without asking that question if the student is sincerely interested in your school or is a good fit by asking other questions (I gave examples of questions I use as an interviewer for my alma mater of applicants in my region that the college suggests we use and they tell us not to ask where else the student applied in fact…which IRONICALLY happens to be Tufts University!). I’m also not understanding fully if you say on the one hand, you don’t know why a college would expect a student to answer such a question, but you say that you do ask this question anyhow.</p>

<p>My points in the discussion are truly not about YOUR program, but about any college that poses this question of applicants. But I am simply responding to comments you made on this thread as a conversation as you are participating (nicely, I may add, to give your time as a program director and offer your perspective).</p>

<p>It’s an interesting conversation in any case! :)</p>

[NotMamaRose]

<p>I think there is a big difference between asking a student who was admitted but chose to go elsewhere where the student is matriculating and why, and asking a student at the audition where else he or she is auditioning. It certainly is useful to Program X to see why they keep losing students to Program Y; that makes sense. But to be asked to fill out a form and list the other schools and then rank them in order of your preference, well, all I can tell you is that that caused a lot of anxiety in the kids we knew who were auditioning that year. In addition, my daughter was asked, at one school, during her audition “Where else are you planning to audition?” and when she gave a few names, the head of the program where she was auditioning said, in a challenging manner “Well, if you get in here, would you actually consider coming?” It was said in a challenging and blunt manner, so much so that several student helpers burst into laughter. My daughter told me that she said (and it was the truth) that yes, she wouldn’t be auditioning for the program if she didn’t very much want to be admitted, and she backed this up by pointing out that she had visited campus twice already and seen productions onstage. But the whole thing was a little disconcerting.</p>

[kjgc]

<p>soozievt, you have obviously spent time considering this issue. I have not. I have asked students for years where else they were looking and can honestly say that it was never considered when the time came to offer a place in the program. That having been said, I won’t speak for other programs. </p>

<p>So much goes into deciding if a student is right for a program and likely or not likely to accept an invitation. From my rather tiny perspective no singular answer to a question will ever be used to determine such an important thing. After all, when an invitation is issued we have agreed to enter into a four year relationship - and often for far longer. We are looking for a student, a good person, someone with talent (raw or otherwise) and someone who will be able to accept the training offered. If the applicant is fantastic, and we see they are fantastic and they told me they were applying to all of the institutions considered to be more elite, or more selective or more whatever - we would not at all hesitate to offer them an invite. IF we felt it was a good fit. </p>

<p>As I said, many of you believe this question to be out of bounds. The simple answer then is “I am looking at many programs.” If the school persists, tell them you are uncomfortable with giving that information and that for the moment you are simply interested in the program for whom you are auditioning. I can tell you that there are coaches out there (and I can name two) who have coached their students to say just that. I know this because every one of them gave essentially the same word for word answer. </p>

<p>On a final note, I contacted a friend at an institution mentioned in this thread. And they ask THE question. I am not at all comfortable speaking for them, but the answer is used in a completely benign manner. </p>

<p>So, why is it asked? Different answers from different programs so I can offer not insight. </p>

<p>And since I was asked a direct question:<br>
"So, let’s say you have a young guy or gal who is one of the top talented MT teenagers you have ever seen audition at your program…someone on the level who maybe was a finalist for the NFAA Young Arts award in MT, who had substantial achievements as a MT actor, and who was a student who would be quite competitive for the likes of a program like CMU or UMichigan (which many believe to be more difficult to gain admission to than CCU).</p>

<p>There would be two ways to go about your decision…one would be to want to lure such a talented actor to your program to enhance the program and maybe even offer significant scholarships to get such a student. The other approach would be to figure such a kid who appiled to CCM, CMU, UMich and the like and is this outstanding in both their audition and record of achievements, is likely going to go elsewhere and so opt to not admit them (Tufts Syndrome).</p>

<p>You say a program wouldn’t operate in the second scenario I just gave but also say that you would not be apt to accept someone unless you ascertain that they are likely to take up your invitation."</p>

<p>If we had a good audition, and the student was strong, they were receptive to our workshops, our voice faculty liked their potential, they took to the acting faculty and the acting faculty took to them… we would offer the invitation and would fully expect them to come. We might be wrong, but why on earth would you want to go to a program that thinks less of itself than the training received at any other school? That said, there are right students for one program and wrong students. </p>

<p>I wish all of you tremendous luck and good will. I want each and every student to succeed. To each student who turned down a program I was associated with over the years, I wished nothing but luck and hoped and trusted they would receive the training they desired and needed. I promise to be as honest as I can during the process, and I trust everyone else will as well. Only way to get what we both want - strong training for young artists.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>kjgc, thank you for your very thoughtful response.</p>

<p>You mention that you observed that kids who were coached by certain artistic coaches appear to reply to the question of “where else did you apply” with answers with a generalized: “looking at many programs” and proceed to explain why they are interested in your program. I can’t speak for those coaches but this implies to me that they also didn’t think it was so great to have to provide where else the student has applied and came up with appropriate, yet respectful responses in guiding their students. I have also advised my students of ways to approach this question, as time and time again, families are less than thrilled, should I say, to see this question on an application, audition form or in an interview. So, it seems the artistic coaches you refer to are also helping students to come up with ways to get around naming their other colleges. Perhaps this may indicate to those like yourself that this question does bother many applicants. I have read so many discussions on CC about it where people have advised to others ways to get around answering this with their full college list as they do NOT want to. :)</p>

<p>I hope it is beneficial for you to garner the perspective of prospective applicants on matters like this one as it can only inform you in your own decision making. While I have been a parent in this process, I’m also coming from the vantage point of being an interviewer of applicants for Tufts, but also as a college counselor who advises students on their college process each year and inevitably this comes up each year mostly with my BFA applicants (most regular colleges I know tend not to ask this question, though once in a while, I come across an applicant who has had this question posed on an application). </p>

<p>In the example I posed to you, you wrote in your response to it:</p>

<p>

If we had a good audition, and the student was strong, they were receptive to our workshops, our voice faculty liked their potential, they took to the acting faculty and the acting faculty took to them… we would offer the invitation and would fully expect them to come. We might be wrong, but why on earth would you want to go to a program that thinks less of itself than the training received at any other school? That said, there are right students for one program and wrong students.

</p>

<p>First, I am glad you would take a highly qualified and top applicant who stood out among all applicants you have had. I am sort of surprised that you would “fully expect them to come,” because such a strong top talented student is likely to be accepted to more than one school and I can’t imagine assuming a student WiLL come. This isn’t about CCU but I’d say this about a tippy top student to ANY program as these students inevitably are holding several acceptances and can only attend one. I don’t know how a school would assume that they will commit to their school, (unless it were ED!). </p>

<p>I never meant to imply either that a program should “think less of itself than training received at any other school.” I hardly hardly think that! I believe wonderful training and a great education can be had at most schools in fact. I never thought the training was BETTER at say, UMich than at CCU!! What I was trying to say is that in many cases, a tippy top student who is competitive for the MOST selective programs, may not take the offer at a less selective program if admitted (this does NOT mean the less selective program is not as good as the more selective program!!!) I wasn’t talking of how good the programs are but only in terms of their competitiveness and selectivity. For example, a student accepted to Harvard who is holding an acceptance to Goucher (a reach school and a safety school for that student), is typically more inclined to take the Harvard offer. Not always, but more often than not (unless they have a huge scholarship to their safety and it is a financial decision). It doesn’t mean a great education can’t be had at Goucher. But even Goucher might assume that the student with the 2400 SAT and the perfect GPA who is valedictorian in their class who has won national awards and has many significant achievements outide the classroom and has taken the most rigorous curriculum in HS, MIGHT turn them down if accepted to their reach schools. They would likely offer a merit award to snag this superstar kid (I know a girl from our dance studio in fact who was a valedictorian and was accepted to Amherst but chose Goucher with a scholarship), but they would never assume the student WILL attend if given the invitation. I just don’t know how you can assume the student will attend? I mean some kids you have “invited” have turned you down, no? Kids turn down Yale too. My kid just turned down Stanford with a huge scholarship. It happens. NO school can assume an accepted student will be coming, unless the student has applied ED. </p>

<p>I just want to reiterate that none of my comments are aimed at your program but rather this issue itself. You have been kind enough to share and you are the only person on this thread who works at a college.</p>

<p>Again, I appreciate your entering into this and many other discussions on this forum as you share a lot and also offer up the perspective of someone who runs a MT college program! While you say I have considered this issue, I deal with college admissions as my career and so consider the many issues that arise in this process and have observed a lot given the various schools my students have applied to over the years. I can only offer up my opinion. Others have also on this thread and on the many threads on CC that I linked to earlier. My observation is that the majority of prospective students and parents (and sounds like the artistic coaches too) do not find the question of “where else have you applied” to be an appropriate one and are uncomfortable with it. For what it’s worth! :D</p>

[beenthereMTdad]

<p>I think that they might think what you may think we think so that we may think if we thought about it differently. You think? A little paralysis by analysis maybe.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>^^Thanks for the “thoughtful” comment.</p>

[arrdad]

<p>I appreciate kjgc for chiming in on this forum from time to time. It really does help to have department heads helping to humanize this crazy lottery system.</p>

<p>But there is no tactful way to say this…the “question” is simply not appropriate. </p>

<p>kjgc has every right to ask it, and to believe that it’s benign. But he is wrong. He strikes me as a very reasonable guy, and his program is one of the up and coming ones in the country. I would hope that he would consider taking that question out of his interview routine. It’s simply not necessary for his program, as he is getting access to plenty of talented kids.</p>

[snapdragonfly]

<p>^^^agree with arrdad.
I hope you know just how much your presence and input helps everyone here and the gratitude we feel for your time and answers, Ken! I hope that the candid feedback (especially from new posters who may not realize just who all hangs out here :)) is helpful to you in your goals which are clearly ethical and it’s obvious that you personally, truly strive for the best for all concerned. </p>

<p>That the student in the midst of applying cannot know this to be also true about the MT department of every school they are applying to, and cannot know with any certainty just how their luck will go even it if is the case, and the grave importance of the outcome of the process, is no reflection on you - it’s just human nature, given the circumstances, for applicants to react negatively to that question, phrased that way, in that step of the process. In my opinion. ;)</p>

<p>(the question just kinda freaks us out!! lol)</p>

[soozievt]

<p>Students and parents who read this forum all gain from hearing the perspective of the college reps who post on CC. Likewise, I would like to think that the college reps can gain a pulse regarding the perspective of students and parents. Hopefully all can benefit by reading and participating on CC’s many forums. ;)</p>

[Flossy]

<p>My daughter got that question several times…4-5 at least… and did not apply to CCU. She always answered it by listing…the question was asked in writing…several comparable programs to which she was applying, and maybe one long-shot. Her answer always was honest but certainly not complete. And it was annoying. Who cares? In what way could it possibly matter. I’m curious to know why the program heads would want this information. Would you really not offer a candidate a spot because you think they would choose another school? Given the lottery-like nature of this system, no-one can assume anything about where a student will or will not be accepted and where they will likely matriculate. What insight do you hope to gain?</p>

[kjgc]

<p>Flossy, again, since you asked a direct question: That is just my point. We don’t use the information for or against the student. We (and in this case I mean me) use the information to gauge a variety of things from “who our cohorts are in the minds of students” to “who are our peer and aspirant institutions.” I also use it as a conversation starter. I have only five questions I use and they are all geared towards starting a conversation. And there are no answers that, by themselves, will make or break any application.</p>