What to say when Admissions Officers Ask What Other Schools I applied to?

This keeps coming up. Why do they want to know which other schools I’m applying to? Do they feel less loved each time I’m telling them my long list?

Yes they do

Schools care a lot about yield. They want to make sure that you will attend the school if admitted

@TATS1234, the CC search tool is your friend. Read away:

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1517754-interview-questions.html

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/971599-interview-questions.html?highlight=interview

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/1731399-letting-schools-know-about-top-choice-status-p1.html

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1934941-choate-are-you-applying-to-other-schools-in-this-admission-cycle-p1.html

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1051016-aos-asking-where-else-youre-applying-ugh.html

List two that are very similar to the interviewer’s school and your two safeties.

I’ve stated this before, but it’s worth a repeat:

For me, my interviews were all well before the application date, so my answer was, “I’m still finalizing the list, but the schools to which I will apply offer X, Y, and Z.”

When I went through the college admissions process my answer before the application deadline was as above. My answer after the application was submitted is, “I’m applying to schools that offer X, Y, and Z, such as AA, AB, and AC,” where two of the schools are at the same level as the school asking the question, and the third is a step below. I would not list all the schools, and I would list them in random (or alphabetical) order. Since some schools ask this question to predict yield, you do not want to reveal to a school that it is your safety (if it is in fact a safety, which in the case of schools like Andover or Exeter, is a safety for nobody).

Mine is probably a bad idea, but I don’t know. Don’t tell them all the schools you are applying to. How many schools are you applying to?

While they may be asking because they care about yield, it is more likely that they are trying to figure out if they are a fit. If they are the only day school, single sex school, etc. on your list, they may wonder if they are what you’re really looking for.

I really like the approach of saying that you are applying to schools that offer X and to mention a few.

Oh, thank you @GoatMama. This is so helpful

@Andoverguy 7,8. How about saying none?

Great idea @skieurope and @gardenstategirl. I should just tell them what I want in a school.

@MYOS1634, does that not make them want to drop me thinking I’ll waste their time?

@babymalcolm, would you have any suggestion how to go about that. I don’t know where I’ll be accepted so I want to stay in the game everywhere

They also ask to point kids in a better direction. If an AO asks ( during the course of an interview ) if you’ve looked at Kent ( or name another BS ), they’re doing you a favor.

Be honest, but don’t emphasis on the other school. Just say the other school and compliment this school.

Tell them the truth but ,are sure they know why you want to come to their school