<p>I would like to know why this question about what other schools one is applying to, is on the application, if schools don't use this information for admission or aid? At various info sessions, we were told that it is used only for research to see who their competitors are. Assuming this is the case, why not ask after they accept the applicant, and award aid? Sure, some percentage won't respond, but on the applications a percentage are leaving it blank, or not answering honestly, or not completely answering the question(omitting schools). I started thinking about this after reading several posts here on the subject.</p>
<p>This question has always rubbed me the wrong way. I honestly don't think there's any insidious motive on the part of the colleges, but it just isn't any of there business. None. They can get this info elsewhere (FAFSA, for example) and all the question does is add one more item for applicants to stress over.</p>
<p>"Why not ask after they accept?"</p>
<p>If, contrary to what they tell you in the info sessions, the school is using the information in admissions and aid decisions, then it is perfectly obvious why they ask before making those decisions.</p>
<p>If they are telling the truth about how they use the information, they could still be looking to boost their selectivity numbers (i.e. become a more selective school by accepting a smaller percentage of applicants). The only way they can do that is by generating more applications. In order to do that, they need to do market research over the whole pool of applicants, not just the smaller (and possibly much smaller) pool of accepted applicants.</p>
<p>Even if they are not trying to generate record numbers of applications, they may reason that they will collect the maximum amount of data at the beginning of the process because they can then filter and extract data about accepted or matriculated students at a later date. </p>
<p>Finally, when you are doing applications, the school is in the position of power. Once accepted, the power is then in the student's hands. The school may feel that it has a better shot at getting the information it wants in the former case.</p>
<p>Here was my D's reply, something like: </p>
<p>"A variety of small liberal arts colleges, like college X, that offer happy students, small class sizes, and academic excellence."</p>
<p>Not a refusal to answer, but nothing that could be used against her.</p>
<p>I've read that some schools do use this information, even to the point of looking at the order in which someone lists schools with the College Board when they are registering for SATs. Kids should put that list in alphabetical order to be safe. I agree with BassDad, knowing the schools a given applicant is applying to would be a tempting way to influence a school's yield. The greater the yield, the fewer students a school has to accept in order to fill the class and the lower the acceptance rate will be (yield and acceptance rate go hand in hand). </p>
<p>I find it hard to believe that the school would outright misrepresent themselves to mislead applicants. On the other hand having had the firsthand experience of hearing different answers from every person from a school we contacted with a given question, I wouldn't put complete faith in that either. </p>
<p>Bottom line is you are not obligated to give a school your whole list. Students can make decisions until the last minute as far as where they will apply, so the question can't be binding. I guess the reason they do include this question, though, is because enough kids answer the question to make it worth their while.</p>
<p>We decided that the schools were gaming and we would game right back. With 14 schools we always selected those schools ranked immediately above or below the school asking the question, or schools that particular school was competitive with for whatever reason. </p>
<p>For example (NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE DID, just an example of a strategy that could be used) let's say one was applying to 10 schools including WashU , Emory, Georgetown and Vanderbilt. You would certainly list the other three but you wouldn't list that you were also applying to A) MIT, Princeton, and Yale or B) Rhodes, Centre, and Millsaps. If group A you risk getting Tufts-ed, if group B you risk not being taken as seriously for FA as they don't feel those schools are competitive with them for the purpose of bidding to get you away from the group B schools. </p>
<p>Probably not that effective, but D and I objected to the question, also.</p>
<p>SBmom, I really like the way your D handled the question. Did they ask again during interviews? If so, how did she respond?</p>
<p>S was asked this question at many of his interviews. He answered exactly the way curmudgeon recommends, truthfully, but leaving out schools that were not as comparable.</p>
<p>our son answered the question directly and completely. BTW, he was accepted by all 6 colleges he applied to and was offered about $376,000 in merit aid. </p>
<p>His rational was twofold. He has always been totally honest and to the point-in todays lingo very transparent. Second, he assumed the LAC's would be intrigued that he was applying to some techie type schools and visa versa. If they were gaming things he didnt feel a need to play their game.</p>
<p>My son just listed the in-state schools he applied to. He figured that many kids will use their state schools as a safety and your in-state schools aren't typically considered competition for the out of state schools.</p>
<p>She was admitted ED, so the interview issue did not come up.</p>
<p>An answer that conveys that 'every school on my list was picked because I'd love it and it would specifically meet my needs' would work even in an interview.</p>
<p>I guess, if not probed further.</p>
<p>well, there is 'research' and then there is research (as in admissions) </p>
<p>In addition to concurring with cur's point, one other thing to think about is "like" schools. Someone applying to Columbia and listing Dartmouth, Cornell, Williams and Amherst as the Other Colleges will likely be denied by the urban school, and quickly.</p>
<p>btw: This question, like parent's education and jobs, fall into the NoneOfYOurBusiness category, IMO. To identify legacies, colleges could offer an app fee waiver (e.g., Chicago), to signify such legacy. If they were concerned about first generation to attend college, all they have to do is ask a Yes/No question.</p>
<p>I personally listed them all, and didn't really have a problem with it. Admissions offices know students are applying to other schools. If a school is well below a student's stats, they will know they are being used as a safety even if you don't write that you are also applying to HYP,etc. And if a school is a reach, they will know that without you telling them the 5 lower-ranked schools you have chosen. I just figured that if they want to know, I might as well tell them, so they can get some research done.</p>
<p>In Curmudgeon's example, I don't see the harm in listing all ten. They will probably say something like. Oh, this kid has a good mix of reaches and safeties, and we are somewhere in the middle. All of these schools have some similarities, so this kid has probably considered their list to some degree. Then they will probably move on, because it is basically what they expected.</p>
<p>The question about parents employment and schooling is a whole different issue, IMO. This is used for admission, I think, and I have mixed feelings about that. It is interesting to hear your classmates talk about what their parents do, and it's a good networking resource to have potential contacts with people in a variety of fields. You can also learn something from talking to the child of a single parent working two jobs, as you can from the child of a corporate lawyer. To me, this is another aspect of forming a diverse class. However, when the child of a single mother gets rejected because they assume (without seeing the fin aid forms at need-blind schools) that the family will need grants, that's something I have a problem with.</p>
<p>I've always heard that it doesn't benefit an applicant to answer this question and may hurt. My kids just didn't answer -- it was always shown on applications as optional.</p>
<p>When it came up in interviews, they just said they didn't wish to say where else they were applying. The interviewers then just dropped it.</p>
<p>I agree with Curmudgeon. There does seem to be some gaming going on. </p>
<p>My daughter got the advice to list her other choices that fall below the asking schools ranking, thus making the asking school look like a first choice. You could take that idea further and list schools with a lower ranking in a specific area, like a sport or area of study. </p>
<p>This level of strategizing can get too complicated, even for a "maximizer".</p>
<p>I like curmudgeon's plan. </p>
<p>I see it as sort of like a job resume - you put down what shows you in the best light. Period.</p>