How to answer: what other schools are you applying to?

[Stolenspatulas]

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I was wondering if anyone has any insight on how to answer the dreaded question... what other schools are you applying to? I was thinking of being vague during the interview... 'some state schools, some more competitive schools in the NE and MW'.... is it a bad idea to list names? especially if those names are ranked higher by usnews (which lets be realistic, everybody goes by) or if they are more well-known/better respected?

A long list may make it seem that the school you are currently interested in is not that important... then again a short list may make it seem that you are overly confident...

Any thoughts?

 

[leahmaria]

i'm applying to 11...i just list them when asked...it's not too many to say when i group them by state..(ie: both schools in wisconsin)

 

[DblHelix]

But what if you apply to say...25 schools? (stupid living in California)

 

[leahmaria]

But what if you apply to say...25 schools? (stupid living in California)

say: "I'm applying to all of the schools in California and several others, would you like me to list them?"

 

[BucsFan813]

Better yet, what if you get asked where you've received interviews?

I think this is a trick question. From looking at your stats, adcomms have a general sense of how competitive you are and where you may apply. I think you should tell them some of the schools. (State schools, schools similar to the level of the one you're interviewing).

 

[Stolenspatulas]

i feel like the conversation thread after this question will always be wierd in the interview...... it does not gel well to any next topic

 

[GujuMD]

be honest

 

[zimmie256]

i feel like the conversation thread after this question will always be wierd in the interview...... it does not gel well to any next topic

I agree... Especially since I have a fairly long list of schools I've applied to. Another issue is that I personally like some of the schools with lower rankings better than some of the more prestigious schools I applied to for various reasons (case-dependent). Hopefully listing a 'better' school wouldn't hurt my chances since in reality I may be more interested in the 'lower-ranked' school. But of course, who's going to believe that... Haha

 

[Xypathos]

Honesty has always been the best policy for a reason, you'd be surprised how far it'll get you. Adcoms are humans afterall, they respect it when an applicant is honest and lets them know where else they're looking, it also gives them a hint if you'll accept an offer. If you say "I'm applying to all of the schools in the Midwest, and one or two in the Northeast" and then they see your application and note that you're from say, Iowa --- they'll understand your leaning, most likely, will be in the midwest where friends and family are.

 

[CTtarheel]

no interviewer is going to honestly think that they're the only school you applied to. I don't see how it can hurt you to just answer this question honestly. Obviously don't say "i've applied to so and so and they're my first choice" but just giving a list can't be that big of a deal.

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

Reading between the lines - what they want to know is what you're looking for in a school based on what other schools you have applied to. If all of the schools that you mention are in a specific geographic location, then they know something. If all the schools are the top 25 on USNews, then they know something too.

So the best way to answer is to mention a few schools that you think are "peer" schools in terms of competitiveness, resources, facilities, or whatever, and then turn the answer around to state the fine qualities that you think are exhibited by these schools, including the one you're at. Bonus points if you tie in your strengths and passions and how well they fit these qualities.

 

[MeBeans]

Don't they know what schools you applied to from AMCAS?

 

[Falco2525]

Don't they know what schools you applied to from AMCAS?

No...they dont get a list of schools that you applied to.

 

[WitchDoctor]

i think it's best to be honest, however there is no need to go into too much detail unless specifically asked. grouping by state is a good idea i think. but you don't want to flat out lie because you never know who knows who at which schools....