<p>LOl, what about when your safety asks which schools you're applying to?, do you just say random 4th tier state schools and community colleges?</p>
<p>I read somewhere that you should just not answer the question, which is what I did when that question was asked on my application. I still got into the school, so I don't think it'll kill you if you left it blank.</p>
<p>PhilaU asks that question, but it's optional. Thank the Lord.</p>
<p>In my experience, it never pays to lie.
You're best off to mention one or two equivalent colleges, in alphabetical order, and that's all.
Remember; "Loose lips sink ships."
Don't ever provide unnecessary information.</p>
<p>I applied to twenty colleges and I listed all when asked. I think being honest is most important because if they find out that you're not, you could be in danger. Rice, SJU and Boston U asked me. I listed all and I got into all with the $40,000 merit money from SJU. Other colleges on my list included Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Princeton (that I didn't get in and I shouldn't have applied to). I think most of the time this question is for research purpose.
If you leave it blank, that's apparently a lie since nobody apply to only 1 college; but how adcom think about it varies. They may not even look at your answer if they only have a brief of time to read your app. Anyway, my bet is that you be honest.</p>
<p>You should also list the collegeboard's 4-digit code for each college since it's the most accurate ID for colleges.</p>
<p>Actually, in the "olden days" lots of people applied to only one college--I did. But, yeah, I am amazed that anyone would think of anything but giving a truthful answer to the question if it is asked. It's good to hear of an honest person getting admission into good schools with substantial scholarships.</p>
<p>I met this kid who only applied to 1 college, and that college was MIT. He was incredibly lucky he got admitted, because he would have been screwed. He is gpoing to be a freshman this year.</p>
<p>All you people that are like "omg you guys would lie?" need to think. Like someone said, presenting yourself in the best light is not a crime. If saying that you are applying to Harvard screws you over at Columbia, why take a chance at getting rejected from both. Everyone else in the app pool is going to lie by omission too, so you would be putting yourself at a distinct disadvantage. I'm very tempted to write on mine "None of your friggin business". Or perhaps attach a huge essay on the paradox of what to write. Or maybe I could catch their attention and favor if, when applying to Dartmouth or Princeton, I just wrote NOT HARVARD.</p>
<p>I wouldn't answer that question unless you have a specific reason that doing so would increase your odds of acceptance. To put it bluntly, it's really none of their business where else you are applying. They aren't asking that question because it helps YOU.</p>
<p>If I were to answer that question for some specific reason, I'd be very careful about selecting just a couple of colleges. For example, my daughter chose to answer it for one college, but only listed selected colleges from her list located in the South. Being from the northeast, the logic behind the decision was to indicate that she had a real interest in colleges in the region and wasn't just applying to the one as a "safety".</p>
<p>answer the question strategically. Give a list that has some coherency to it; for example, LACs or small privates. Beware of "Tufts syndrome". If you list the Ivys and Tufts, they'll figure they're you're safety and scratch you right there. WUSTL, same thing. </p>
<p>But for most colleges, listing schools strategically also means angling for merit aid or a better need-based package. This means if you are applying to X, find out who there competitors are, esp. the ones students tend to prefer. If X figures you'll get into Y as well, and many kids choose Y over X, they can sweeten your aid package to try to get you to go to X instead.</p>
<p>Yes, but that is a double-edged sword. They could sweeten your merit aid, or they could take the easier route and jsut reject you.</p>
<p>Don't put down all twenty of the schools you're applying to. Put down two or three universities that are the most similar or less prestigious. For example, when I applied to George Washington University and they asked that question, I put down Boston University, which is also a large urban university.</p>
<p>The flip side I have heard of mentioning colleges that you are applying to is a story a Princeton alumnus interviewer related. He said if a student he is interviewing does NOT list some schools as selective as Princeton, he doesn't think the applicant is serious about going to a school of that echelon. In that case, mentioning the "competition" (e.g., Harvard, Yale) to that Princeton interviewer is advantageous: it shows that you decided what kind of college you want to go to and are prepared to meet the challenge of going there. </p>
<p>But you can never overanalyze someone's reasons for asking to a sufficient degree to know for sure what the most strategic answer is, so I still suggest simply giving the TRUE answer. If the college you are applying to thinks your college list is lousy, it is a poor fit for you, and you might as well know that sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>I think only a few are necessary, and that at least one should be somewhat more selective and one somewhat less. This shows that you 'know yourself' and that you are confident about getting into schools within the same range.</p>
<p>This thread might be overthinking the subject. I can not see how it could matter that much. </p>
<p>Also, an alumni interviewer is just a volunteer from the local alumni association. I am not saying that they are necessarily wrong about anything they might say, but they are not that close to the process. They did graduate from the school and can tell you about that, but they don't have much to do with admissions.</p>
<p>interesteddad, can you really not answer this question in an interview? My D interviewed at 3 schools this summer, and since she hadn't actually submitted any applications yet, she decided to answer the question (if asked), "I haven't really decided on my final list yet." No interviewer asked the question however, and since all but one of the schools on her list accepts the Common App (though some have supplements), I don't see this question showing up. How should she respond when she interviews in the fall closer to app time?</p>
<p>I think it is AOK to leave the section blank on the written application. My son left it blank, was admitted to his matches and to two of his reaches, a better outcome than he had reason to expect.
He was asked in one of his alum interviews where else he was applying and "where Alma Mater was in the rankings of his personal list" and he just answered because he is not good at subterfuge. He did not answer with complete details about his personal favorite dream school rankings (that is between your kid and you and his friends and shifts like the wind, and is never material for a formal interview.) My S received a high rating from that alum interview and was admitted to this reach school. He came across as realistic, respectful of the institution but also prepared to make a good life for himself at similar schools on his list. The Alum interviewer who put him on the spot seemed to feel that he got an honest and sensible answer regarding other schools. My son did not promise his first born or swear he would attend.</p>
<p>Never never say things like, I love College X's campus but College Y's location and College Z's sports in interviews unless you want to sound like you are trying to pick out a pair of jeans at the mall. To make those comments diminishes the school who is hosting you or the graduate that is interviewing you. Even though your student tour guides, overnight hosts and Alum interviewers will press you for your preferences just out of curiosity, resist blabbing. Save it for your home crowd. Proceed on each campus like you understand that each place is a world apart and a fully functional interesting place. All colleges on your list should have been so carefully evaluated for "fit" that you can accord them respect and recognize you can have a full and rewarding four years at any of them.<br>
Alma Mater was a reach, so it would have been very grandiose of my son to count on admission and he said so, but he was able to state what about Alma Mater was outstanding in terms of a fit for him.<br>
Plus let me inform you that to change your mind about which school you will attend if accepted at a few on your list is totally normal, so never put yourself in some concrete position. Stay fluid. Your loyalties are not the issue, because this are not dating, you are looking for the best fit school that will admit you. The challenge is to maintain and convey Respect and Appreciation for the schools you apply to while managing your private shifts and loyalties and feelings in a situation that is unpredictable.<br>
(The college admin office trained senior interviewers by the way, did not ask this question! They know their institutions are extremely popular and that kids can't count on admission and must pursue other entries, and they are not that rude.)
Instead, address the adcoms natural and rightful need to know if you are seriously considering attending X University in your essays. Volunteer specific reasons in interviews that you admire the institution and feel it would work for you.
Don't apply to schools you wouldn't attend if admitted at all, so find a Safety you love and respect and show that respect in intervews and essays. My best advice is also to Attach to your Match schools. If you properly appreciate the institutions likely to value you and admit you , your interviews and essays will convey respect and detailed understanding of each school. Don't apply to too many schools in the first place! Really! It is not necessary if you respect your Match schools and are making realistic choices.
It is rude for an interviewer to demand to know where you are applying, but alumni interviewers can be "characters" and "ambassadors" for their schools and they don't mind breaking the rules (or the unwritten rules) and putting an 18 year old on the spot. They will tell Alma Mater school what you say, so go ahead and prepare. They are not monsters, only curious and eager to get a feel for whether or not you both "know thyself" or "know their Alma Mater" and appreciate it. One thing they are looking for is kids who are mixed up and overvalueing or devalueing certain institutions. I noticed when we filled out the FAFSAs that each financial aide office sees where you have your financial aide information sent anyway. I think they are not linked to admissions offices and are not supposed to leak that list, but perhaps someone else out there like Marite, Carolyn or Sybbie knows if your FAFSA list is ever revealed to admissions folks. I wondered about that, but believe they are kept confidential by the finanacial aide staff.</p>
<p>As most schools already know that students tend to apply to similar schools in addtion they know which schools overlap in the admissions procrocess my daughter listed similar schools, On her Dartmouth application she listed Williams and Amherst (and did the same thing on the Williams and Amherst applications)</p>
<p>When she applied to Barnard she listed Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke, and did the same thing for the other schools.</p>
<p>At need blind schools (the Ivies and such), the financial and admissions processes are separate and many schools they do not even share the same office. Usually as students are admitted their applications are sent to financial aid. Of hte schools my daughter applied to FA was given based on how that school calculated need. Daughter was admitted to all 7 schools that she applied to and we got 7 different offers with about a 10,000 range from the "best" offer to the worse (this included out of pocket cost, loans, grant aid etc) we did look at loans as the equivalent of out of pocket money. In the end we did however use the Williams offer to negotiate a better offer from Dartmouth (because they were her top 2 choices) and in the end Dartmouth met the williams offer closing the over $4,000 gap between the 2 schools.</p>
<p>THis is the best quote:</p>
<p>"Don't apply to schools you wouldn't attend if admitted at all, so find a Safety you love and respect and show that respect in intervews and essays."</p>
<p>
[quote]
At need blind schools (the Ivies and such), the financial and admissions processes are separate and many schools they do not even share the same office.
[/quote]
At this time I should probably add a caution here. While what sybbie719 wrote is correct, some people try to read to much into it. When you get letters from the financial aid office asking for more documentation, etc., it is NOT a clue you've been accepted. The offices run independently and financial aid is just doing its own business.</p>