What should I say when they ask in the supplement what other colleges are you also applying?
I am applaying to like 10 colleges and I dont want to seem desperate so what would be my best bet?
I am applying mostly to Ivies.
Thanks
<p>No need to list all of them. Just pick 3 or 4.</p>
<p>for the most competitve ones I just listed the ones that were not as selective as them or my safety school....I thought it would flatter them...lol</p>
<p>It's not a fair question to begin with.</p>
<p>I know it is not fair but it is there so we just have to cope with it!</p>
<p>Wouldnt it be better if you palced something like another one below the competitiviness of it! </p>
<p>For instance I am applying to Harvard and I put Columbia or Yale.</p>
<p>That was a difficult question for me because Columbia was my first choice by far, but I also decided to apply to Harvard (as a fluke, just to see if I could get in). I didn't want Columbia to see that I was applying to Harvard, because they might think I would turn them down for Harvard--and I didn't apply ED to Columbia to reassure them. I applied to eight schools, so when asked, I just listed a few from the bottom up. Columbia asked during my interview, so I just stated a few ("U of X because it was my dad's alma mater, Y U is my safety, Z College and Columbia, of course"). On other applications, like Emory (I think) which is pretty sensitive to being Ivy League kids' safety, there were only so many spaces to list colleges, so I listed the least competitive four or six or so.</p>
<p>Make sure to list schools that are similar so that the school won't think you haven't done any research into the issue. The question really bothers me too, and I would only mention a few matches and safetys.</p>
<p>But if we list safety they might think we are accepting the least right?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The Harvard-Columbia-Yale example may not have been the best since there isn't a significant difference between those, but in general, you should probably leave out any obviously higher ranked schools because you don't want it to look as if you are using the school for a safety. If you are applying to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, WUSTL, Tufts and Emory, you can leave HYP off of the apps for WUSTL, Tufts, and Emory. Most schools don't ask anyway.</p>
<p>at schools that offer merit aid, i'd be sure to include a school that is more selective but that you have a chance of getting into...merit aid is how schools "lure" you from better ones.</p>
<p>Actually, dufus, at a Columbia information session/tour on campus, an admissions officer said that they hate losing top students to "well, we won't name which school." So I didn't want to say that I was also applying to the school of which I think they were speaking.</p>
<p>bing: I was thinking more about the schools just outside of the top 10-15. I suppose it does make sense that there would be another layer between HYP and the next 10 schools. Thanks.</p>
<p>in other words you should lie?</p>
<p>list them in alpha order, so you don't tip your preference order</p>
<p>Would the colleges call your guidance counselor to check?</p>
<p>I don't think you should lie, but you don't have to list ALL your schools. But really, you could change your mind from the time you file the app to when all the deadlines are...so if you do lie, they can't really tell. And while I doubt they'd have the time to call your GCs, I wouldn't be too surprised of them saying something like "we want X person, but are they likely to accept our offer"? I think all sorts of sketchiness goes on behind the scenes.</p>
<p>It is like applying for a job. Imagine you are in an interview and you are asked "How did you like your last job? Were there any problems?". Most people would not go into a long description of how the work sucked, the boss was stupid, and they always missed deadlines. You don't call it lying when you present yourself in the best light. Plus, they shouldn't be asking that anyway.</p>
<p>I would just tell the truth.</p>
<p>Well....you may as well be honest. If you are applying for need based aid and fill out the FAFSA, the colleges (I believe) can see the other schools where that is being filed.</p>
<p>I don't think that's true...But even so, doesn't the Financial Aid Office get that? Is the admissions office really going to cross reference every finaid applicant? Plus, there are a lot of people who don't apply for finaid.</p>