Should I inform or not?

[Petrichor1]

So I have been contemplating about how interviewers ask someone: So where else have you applied?
and I tell them honestly upfront. However, I feel like that may play into negatives because they may wonder my loyalty to their school. It gets me a little upset because besides the obvious "your school is xyz" I don't know if I have won them over with my response. Some people often do not disclose but I just listen to my heart and say the truth without thinking.
If any of your have been accepted prior, I would love to know how you tackle this question. Obviously, I am expecting people to talk about the mission of the school and how you can link with it but is that enough?

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[Goro]

Do you really think that you're the only candidate that school has ever interviewed who also got IIs at other schools??????

Your "loyalty" to that school was expressed by your sending them an application, AND attending the interview.

I personally think that the interviewer has no business asking you where you're applying to (or have been accepted to, but just tell them the truth. If they really want you, they'll throw some scholarship cash at you.

 

[gyngyn]

They really have no business asking you this. It makes them look needy and insecure.
I believe the average number of MD applications is 11. Tell them that you applied to enough schools to maximize your chance of success using the best available evidence.

 

[efle]

I believe the average number of MD applications is 11.

Even higher now! The footnote on fact table one reads "781,602 is the number of applications from 52,550 applicants, an average of 15 applications per applicant."

 

[gyngyn]

Even higher now! The footnote on fact table one reads "781,602 is the number of applications from 52,550 applicants, an average of 15 applications per applicant."

I'm not surprised. It's gone up this much in only a couple of years...

 

[Petrichor1]

Do you really think that you're the only candidate that school has ever interviewed who also got IIs at other schools??????

Your "loyalty" to that school was expressed by your sending them an application, AND attending the interview.

I personally think that the interviewer has no business asking you where you're applying to (or have been accepted to, but just tell them the truth. If they really want you, they'll throw some scholarship cash at you.

Yea I was prepared for the question as in I expected it but I thought that my response was weak out of a clouded mind. Being that after interviews they select very few, i have been sweating over my response. I just wanted to know how this question is weighted in the eyes of an adcom, I will certainly work on this question.

 

[gyngyn]

Yea I was prepared for the question as in I expected it but I thought that my response was weak out of a clouded mind. Being that after interviews they select very few, i have been sweating over my response. I just wanted to know how this question is weighted in the eyes of an adcom, I will certainly work on this question.

If one of our interviewers were asking this, it would weigh heavily against him.

 

[Oogieboogie]

I always thought that question was infuriating. Because where they generally have a group of interviewees come on one day to interview--

I had one interviewer ask me, "Are you applying to other medical schools?"

In my head, I thought :"Are you interviewing other applicants?"

It's ludicrous.

 

[LizzyM]

I always thought that question was infuriating. Because where they generally have a group of interviewees come on one day to interview--

I had one interviewer ask me, "Are you applying to other medical schools?"

In my head, I thought :"Are you interviewing other applicants?"

It's ludicrous.

"Of course, I applied to more schools than just this one. I don't believe in putting all my eggs in one basket but as baskets go, xyz school is terrific and I am particularly impressed with..." then say something that the school is particularly proud of.

 

[Petrichor1]

"Of course, I applied to more schools than just this one. I don't believe in putting all my eggs in one basket but as baskets go, xyz school is terrific and I am particularly impressed with..." then say something that the school is particularly proud of.

Thanks LizzyM you put my jumbled thoughts into a succinct phrase! It expresses the high stakes of this process but also highlights why I applied in the first place to the school.

 

[Lost in Translation]

I always thought that question was infuriating. Because where they generally have a group of interviewees come on one day to interview--

I had one interviewer ask me, "Are you applying to other medical schools?"

In my head, I thought :"Are you interviewing other applicants?"

It's ludicrous.

Ooooooh that's a good one for an II you have after you've gotten your first acceptance elsewhere. Show some moxie.

 

[Cara Delevingne]

Depends how badly you want to go to that school.

If it's late in the season and you've got a handful of acceptances, and you got an II from a less desirable school, tell them you're not answering that question and to not ask you questions like that. Worse comes to worst, if they keep asking you for something inappropriate (I was asked for a copy of my letter of acceptance to other schools), leave immediately and head to the admissions office and let them know. what a farce of an interview this was. I should've done it but I had no balls and I wanted to stay for the free lunch.

 

[FutureD.O]

So I have been contemplating about how interviewers ask someone: So where else have you applied?
and I tell them honestly upfront. However, I feel like that may play into negatives because they may wonder my loyalty to their school. It gets me a little upset because besides the obvious "your school is xyz" I don't know if I have won them over with my response. Some people often do not disclose but I just listen to my heart and say the truth without thinking.
If any of your have been accepted prior, I would love to know how you tackle this question. Obviously, I am expecting people to talk about the mission of the school and how you can link with it but is that enough?

I was asked this at 3 of my interviews. It's a much more common occurrence than many would think. I actually strongly believe my answer to this questions hurt me at one of my interviews. I'd suggest quickly reading the interviewers body language and tone in the context of the question. (I.e is the interviewer asking this question because I'm from state X and wants to see if I'll attend their school if accepted over your home state's school)

 

[libertyyne]

I was asked this question, I responded by listing the characteristics of the school that I found appealing and reiterated why it was a good fit for me.

In retrospect I should have prepared for this question. I guess I will find out in roughly 6 weeks.

 

[Sardinia]

 

[efle]

I'm not surprised. It's gone up this much in only a couple of years...

I feel sorry for the applicants of 2025 and their 30 school avg list size