When AdComs ask where else you've applied, what do you tell them?

[bluestreaks]

Hello everyone,

If asked during an interview where else I have applied to or received interview invitations from, what do you advise that I say?

I applied to around 40 schools, and a pretty wide range. Let's say they ask during my Yale interview.. what should I say, and do you think my answer should be different if they asked at a "lower-ranked" school's interview?

Thanks a bunch. Hope all you current applicants are doing well in this process.

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[darkjedi]

Hello everyone,

If asked during an interview where else I have applied to or received interview invitations from, what do you advise that I say?

I applied to around 40 schools, and a pretty wide range. Let's say they ask during my Yale interview.. what should I say, and do you think my answer should be different if they asked at a "lower-ranked" school's interview?

Thanks a bunch. Hope all you current applicants are doing well in this process.

You can just give a broad answer of you applied to several dozen schools, and their general regional distribution. No need to lie, but also no need to provide a list of all the schools you applied to.

A more likely question you'll receive is where have you interviewed so far.

I will tell you that, schools, particularly the mid-tier, will in fact take into account the likelihood of you matriculating to their school should they accept you. Schools have to be wary of their yields (matriculation to total acceptances ratio), and therefore are less likely to admit you if they think you will go elsewhere. This is why demonstrating interest is very key, in more ways than one.

Along this same vein, I would therefore be careful about talking about interviewing at higher-tier schools than the one you are at.

 

[naixin]

If you are interiviewed at a lower ranked school, and they ask you if you were accepted both to a higher ranked schools you have been or will be interivewed at and their school, which one would you choose? How would you answer?

You need to say you would choose their school and then back up with some reasons even though it is not what you truly think? Doesn't that sound pretentious?

I wish schools do not ask those kind of questions.

 

[Narmerguy]

You could try going for geographical descriptions. "A school in Boston....no not Tufts"

 

[bluestreaks]

I appreciate all your helpful answers.

So as a California resident (sucks right now), I think I'll mention that I applied mostly to the California schools and several others out of state.

Does that sound reasonable enough?

I'm scared that I won't get into the "top" schools because, well, they're hard to get into. But the more mid-range schools will hold off too if they think I'm treating them as safeties, which I'm not.

I've read that in Spring, schools get a list of where you're been accepted to. I don't want to lie and later have schools see that I really did apply broadly.

 

[LPpostbacc]

I appreciate all your helpful answers.

So as a California resident (sucks right now), I think I'll mention that I applied mostly to the California schools and several others out of state.

Does that sound reasonable enough?

I'm scared that I won't get into the "top" schools because, well, they're hard to get into. But the more mid-range schools will hold off too if they think I'm treating them as safeties, which I'm not.

I've read that in Spring, schools get a list of where you're been accepted to. I don't want to lie and later have schools see that I really did apply broadly.

40 SCHOOLS???!?!?! w-o-w. Holy fees Batman!!

 

[sbuxaddict]

40 SCHOOLS???!?!?! w-o-w. Holy fees Batman!!

My thoughts exactly!

 

[TopTomato]

At my friends interview he was asked that, he told them 17 schools. Then the interviewer made him list every single school he applied to off the top of his head. So naturally my friend forgot maybe 1 or 2, the interviewer wrote down every school he applied to and was like "wait I only have 15 schools here, what are the other 2?"

 

[Tots]

I appreciate all your helpful answers.

So as a California resident (sucks right now), I think I'll mention that I applied mostly to the California schools and several others out of state.

Does that sound reasonable enough?

I'm scared that I won't get into the "top" schools because, well, they're hard to get into. But the more mid-range schools will hold off too if they think I'm treating them as safeties, which I'm not.

I've read that in Spring, schools get a list of where you're been accepted to. I don't want to lie and later have schools see that I really did apply broadly.

Being from California you will probably run into this question because they want to find out if you would really leave California. This was the case during my first interview.

I said something along the lines of: "I applied broadly because I would like to leave California if possible. In addition I believe that it is hard to know if a school is a right fit for me until I interview, since every school looks impressive at the pre-interview stage."

Seemed to work for me.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

At my friends interview he was asked that, he told them 17 schools. Then the interviewer made him list every single school he applied to off the top of his head. So naturally my friend forgot maybe 1 or 2, the interviewer wrote down every school he applied to and was like "wait I only have 15 schools here, what are the other 2?"

Lol, that just sucks.

 

[Barley426]

You could try going for geographical descriptions. "A school in Boston....no not Tufts"

+1 for 30rock reference.


I think you want to tell them as close to the truth as possible without going too specific. You should avoid looking too committed to another school but don't give them the impression that this school is the only school you're interviewing at, they might think you're undesirable.

 

[bluestreaks]

At my friends interview he was asked that, he told them 17 schools. Then the interviewer made him list every single school he applied to off the top of his head. So naturally my friend forgot maybe 1 or 2, the interviewer wrote down every school he applied to and was like "wait I only have 15 schools here, what are the other 2?"

... and I thought I was increasing my chances by applying to all those schools. I feel like in a way, I just did the opposite now. If I list 40 schools, I'll just tell them I know where the door is, and thank you.

You think application fees were killer? The cost of flights is 10 times worse right now.

 

[Sephiroth]

You could try going for geographical descriptions. "A school in Boston....no not Tufts"

lol, nice. It's really true though, I've frequently been told by someone that they "went to school in Boston" when I ask what school they went to. None of them turned out to go to BU, BC, Northeastern, Tufts, Brandeis, etc. I actually got one of the Harvard guys to talk about that habit, and it's kind of a damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don't situation, either you come off as outright pretentious or sneakily pretentious by skirting the question. Basically, if you go to Harvard, you are automatically a pretentious person.

 

[dance13021]

At my friends interview he was asked that, he told them 17 schools. Then the interviewer made him list every single school he applied to off the top of his head. So naturally my friend forgot maybe 1 or 2, the interviewer wrote down every school he applied to and was like "wait I only have 15 schools here, what are the other 2?"

Wow. Which school was that?

 

[Narmerguy]

I appreciate all your helpful answers.

So as a California resident (sucks right now), I think I'll mention that I applied mostly to the California schools and several others out of state.

Does that sound reasonable enough?

I'm scared that I won't get into the "top" schools because, well, they're hard to get into. But the more mid-range schools will hold off too if they think I'm treating them as safeties, which I'm not.

I've read that in Spring, schools get a list of where you're been accepted to. I don't want to lie and later have schools see that I really did apply broadly.

I believe schools only get to see where else you've been accepted once they've accepted you. You don't have to worry about a school rejecting you because you applied to more schools than you said you did or you've been accepted by some top ones.

lol, nice. It's really true though, I've frequently been told by someone that they "went to school in Boston" when I ask what school they went to. None of them turned out to go to BU, BC, Northeastern, Tufts, Brandeis, etc. I actually got one of the Harvard guys to talk about that habit, and it's kind of a damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don't situation, either you come off as outright pretentious or sneakily pretentious by skirting the question. Basically, if you go to Harvard, you are automatically a pretentious person.

Haha, yeah definitely there are those who are going to be mad no matter how the Harvard student responds. I think rather than try to "hide" it, it's best to just answer the question directly and not make a big deal out of it (trying to avoid saying something is often just as effective at making a big deal out of it). It's not like we're going to be constantly thinking about it after that first introduction (unless you're constantly making references to Harvard).

I must say that I tried hard to not buy into the pretentious Harvard stereotype, but perhaps 30-40% of the people I've met in my brief interactions at Harvard (professors and administrators are definitely worse than the students) have been kind of toolish. It's not a huge number, but way more than we're accustomed to in normal society.

 

[mimelim]

I don't think I got asked to list the medical schools I applied to. Residency, everyone asked for the list, especially about which programs you liked. I even had a chairman ask for my top 5 so that he could tell me why his department was better than those. I did however get a bunch of, would you come here over some other school. Hopkins asked if I would consider over HMS, SLU asked over Wash U. and HMS asked over Wash U.

It was easy to be honest to Hopkins and HMS, but SLU I had to pretty much bs.

 

[OCDOCDOCD]

40 SCHOOLS???!?!?! w-o-w. Holy fees Batman!!

Forget the fees, what about the time demands of 40 applications? God forbid you're a higly competitive applicant such that you end up fielding roughly the same number of secondaries and interviews.

 

[bluestreaks]

Well I'm 10 for 11 so far. Gapyear4lyfe haha.

I don't know how people do this while they're in school or working full time. For those of you who do, I admire you and wish you the best of luck.

 

[MedPR]

If you are interiviewed at a lower ranked school, and they ask you if you were accepted both to a higher ranked schools you have been or will be interivewed at and their school, which one would you choose? How would you answer?

You need to say you would choose their school and then back up with some reasons even though it is not what you truly think? Doesn't that sound pretentious?

I wish schools do not ask those kind of questions.

You'd answer the same way you'd answer "Why our school?"

 

[Quicksilver005]

Nicely tell them that it isn't their business. It really isn't.

 

[bluestreaks]

Nicely tell them that it isn't their business. It really isn't.

Yeah, I don't think that's what I want to tell the admission committee of the schools I'd like to attend since I don't want to risk coming off as rude, even though you're right.

This may help:
I talked to someone on the adcom of a top 5 school just today about this, and she said that you have to just be honest. They may think, "Well we're just one of 40 schools" or "I see you've applied to many "higher ranked" schools" which may honestly hurt your chances. But it's not advised to lie. That's just the reality of things. Like getting rejected from schools that think you're treating them as safeties.

I was told to just point out why I'd be interested in their school in particular, as many of you have also said.

And before anybody gets obnoxious on me, there's no reason why I'd lie about my advisor being on the adcom. It's to your benefit to believe it. Sorry, but there's always someone on SDN who loves to challenge!

 

[Quicksilver005]

Yeah, I don't think that's what I want to tell the admission committee of the schools I'd like to attend since I don't want to risk coming off as rude, even though you're right.

This may help:
I talked to someone on the adcom of a top 5 school just today about this, and she said that you have to just be honest. They may think, "Well we're just one of 40 schools" or "I see you've applied to many "higher ranked" schools" which may honestly hurt your chances. But it's not advised to lie. That's just the reality of things. Like getting rejected from schools that think you're treating them as safeties.

I was told to just point out why I'd be interested in their school in particular, as many of you have also said.

And before anybody gets obnoxious on me, there's no reason why I'd lie about my advisor being on the adcom. It's to your benefit to believe it. Sorry, but there's always someone on SDN who loves to challenge!

Lol. I believe you misinterpret what I said. There are ways to say, "It is none of your business" without actually saying it or being rude. Just pick a strategy that someone mentioned on this thread.

 

[naixin]

So you mean you will say you will choose their school instead of a better school because you just like the school (a bunch of reasons) and thought it is a great fit for you?

You'd answer the same way you'd answer "Why our school?"

 

[Praefectus]

I've read that in Spring, schools get a list of where you're been accepted to. I don't want to lie and later have schools see that I really did apply broadly.

They don't get that list until April or May, so don't fret.

 

[deleted439911]

To answer why our school?
randomly select one professor or doctor and talk about their achievements etc. etc. and say well geez Dr. Joe Johnson had great contribution to blank and I am interested in blank. Therefore, this school is one of my top choices because of his work in blank.

If asked follow up question:
wiki about blank...

 

[Irish Football]

I just got asked this question at my interview yesterday. I was taken aback and I asked him if he wanted to know locations or school names. He said, "just general locations is fine." So I just listed the cities in which the schools were. Still not sure why it even mattered...

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello everyone,

If asked during an interview where else I have applied to or received interview invitations from, what do you advise that I say?

I applied to around 40 schools, and a pretty wide range. Let's say they ask during my Yale interview.. what should I say, and do you think my answer should be different if they asked at a "lower-ranked" school's interview?

Thanks a bunch. Hope all you current applicants are doing well in this process.

You throw them a bone and list a couple of similarly ranked places that you plan to interview at to make yourself seem competitive, and then tell them why the interviewers' program would be your first choice. If you are really ballsy, later when they ask you what questions you have, turn it on them and have them sell you on what their school offers that the other places you are looking at don't, and what sets them apart.

 

[Law2Doc]

So you mean you will say you will choose their school instead of a better school because you just like the school (a bunch of reasons) and thought it is a great fit for you?

First, the interview is a sales pitch. The person you are pitching to is the "best" school for purposes of that interview. There is no "better" school when you are sitting in that chair.

Second, the term "better" is a loaded term. Better according to whom, to what criteria. There will be plenty of folks who select schools for reasons other than US News rankings, and you have to look at those rankings with a very broad brush. Are schools ranked 1-5 "better than the places ranked 125-130? perhaps. They certainly have more resources and cache. But is a school ranked 25 "better" than the school ranked 45? Doubtful. The rankings aren't so meaningful at that part of the curve. You will get a top notch education and a good residency if you work hard at either place.