Do ADCOMS see ALL other schools you apply to?

[BushBaby]

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I have been on a few interviews already and I hate when I'm asked if or what other schools I applied to? I want to lie and cut the list down short but I don't know if they have a list that they see cause I don't want to get busted.

The reason I ask is that let's say I interview at a high tier school but I also applied and interviewed at a lower tier school, I don't want the high tier school to drop me because they know I went to a lower tier school who will most likely take me anyway.
You get?

 

[Optimist]

They don't get this information until much later, if at all.

The next time you're asked, feel free to gloss over the question: "I'm applying to several schools in the area, and a few others, so that I can increase my chances of getting in this year."

I don't think an adcom would have a problem with this kind of answer.

 

[Amy B]

If you have been accepted the schools where you have an acceptance will get a list of all the other schools. I believe this is around May 15, when you are supposed to be holding only one acceptance.

I didn't lie. I just told them when they asked. One of my interviewers wrote down all the other schools I applied to. I was going to ask him why he wrote them down, but thought it was much better to act like it didn't bother me at all.

 

[Spacekat]

I definitely agree with Optimist's answer - you don't want to be rude and stonewall them, but the answer can only hurt you.

Optimist must prepare for positive thinking by being very wiley! Well done.

 

[Amy B]

I should mention the school where the interviewer wrote down all the schools I applied to was the first to offer me an acceptance.

They know most people apply to at least 10 schools so seriously don't worry about it. If you look like you are avoiding answering they may pick up on that and it may work against you.

Just my 2cents😎

 

[KarateGirl]

I actually don't think it necessarily hurts you. I was talking to another med school applicant who told me that some schools ask and if you haven't applied to many, they question you, because it looks like you're not really serious about wanting to become a doctor. I don't know if that's true, but that's probably how I'd look at it. I'm applying to around 20 schools because I really want to get in. I wonder sometimes about people who only apply to a few. I mean, why go through all of this crap to put all your eggs in one basket, so to speak? Then again, I'm not in my early twenties. I want to get in NOW.

I wouldn't mind being asked that question. I'd tell them the truth, why I'm applying to all those schools, and then follow up with why their school is my top choice.

But it all goes back to my philosophy on interviews--it's not what you say, but how you say it.

 

[BushBaby]

But it's interesting why they would ask this question. I like optimists answer because I feel weird when I am giving them my list. I was asked by one school and I got my " you are in the competitive catergory but wait for us to decide where we want you, want to waitlist you, or put you on alternate list" letter yesterday.

Not to say that the inquiry into what other schools I applied to had anything to do with my current status.

I have another interview tomorrow, I just want to know what to say if asked. Luckily I am in NY, where we have like 10,000 med schools so that "I applied to a few other NY schools" response might work.

 

[KarateGirl]

I'm in NY, too, and I applied almost exclusively to schools in the Northeast, in particular to all the schools in the lower NY area. I think it would make sense to say, "I'm applying to most of the NY schools because I want to stay close to home" (or your family, or something like that).

It is kind of weird for an interviewer to make you list all the schools you applied to, IMO, but I'd just go with the flow if that happened to me. I don't really see how which schools you chose could influence an adcom's decision, unless you applied to all reach schools with crappy scores, in which case they might think you're not too bright. 🙂 I don't know.