interviewer - "Where else have you applied?"

[hongspruce]

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I've heard many stories of interviewers asking this. "Where else have to applied/interviewed/accepted?" Why do they want to know?!! Should you tell them? How does this hurt you if you tell them?

How do you answer this in the most constructive way?!!!

 

[HollyJ]

I think that it depends where the interview is. For instance, I've been asked that at the Texas schools, because I think that they want to know how committed you are to staying instate. I think that lower-tier schools might ask you to try to see if they're a safety for you. I would just be honest, but don't be afraid to vague things up a little (e.g. I applied to a wide range of schools in the Northwest, etc.).

 

[acab]

I've been asked that question everywhere I interviewed except for the 1st one. I've been honest. When they asked me why most are in the northeast but a couple in CA? I answer: "I'm quite open to moving to a different place. Ideally I'd like to be close to my family in NYC." I guess I won't say that if I do get interviews in CA!

 

[Kashue]

I took the advice of another SDNer and told them, it's a very competitive process and I've applied to a wide range of schools to maximize my chances of acceptance. My interviewers agreed with me and were happy with that answer.

 

[Tezzie]

I was asked the question a few times. I answered honestly.

 

[topherius]

Same for me. I can't see that lying would help you any. They know that people are going to be applying to lots of schools. It's standard.

Now, if they asked you something like "which schools are you most interested in?," that'd be something different. But I've never heard of interviewers asking anything like that.

 

[DoctorWannaBe]

When asked this question, do you name off all the schools you applied to? That would take a long time since most people probably apply to at least 10-15 schools. Even when asked this by friends, I only say that I've applied to a lot of schools and mention the regions.

 

[topherius]

I guess it depends on how interested they really seem to be. I think the last time I just mentioned about eight schools...sort of hitting the highlights from the various categories (the local state school, the upper-crust ivy league, the out-of-state state school, the second tier private, etc). Just to give them an idea of the sort of schools I'm considering. If they seemed really interested in hearing more I would then probably give them the whole list.

 

[NRAI2001]

Don't they have a list of all the other schools you have applied to?

 

[topherius]

I've heard that but don't know if it's true. Seems like that's a bit invasive of applicants' privacy.

 

[Tezzie]

This early no they don't know. I think the data comes out in May or June ...