Why do schools ask to list all the schools I'm applying to?

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gmatisohsofun: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 2; Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 11:33 am

Why do schools ask to list all the schools I'm applying to?

by gmatisohsofun » Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:24 pm

Can someone please help me answer this question?

Many schools' applications have asked me to list all the schools I'm applying to. what's the purpose of schools asking for this? How does my response play into their decision making process? Should I be candid and list all the schools im applying to?

Many thanks for your help!

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Source: Beat The GMAT — The Application Process | Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:24 pm

Jim@StratusPrep: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 2279; Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:51 am; Location: New York; Thanked: 660 times; Followed by:266 members; GMAT Score:770

by Jim@StratusPrep » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:44 am

It does not play a major role, but do remember that schools are concerned about their yield. You want to put schools that are competitive with the one you are applying to, but not a bunch of schools that are of a "higher caliber" than the one you are applying to. Target 3 other schools.

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Jon@Admissionado: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 3135; Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:55 am; Location: Everywhere; Thanked: 589 times; Followed by:332 members

by Jon@Admissionado » Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:45 am

Because they are tricky tricky tricky.

I'm kidding. Sorta.
Should you be candid? It's up to you.
I always recommend presenting the school you are actually applying to as the best school. Meaning if you apply to Harvard and Duke, don't tell Duke you applied to Harvard, because they will know that if you get in you are gonna go to Harvard... Now it's not SUPPOSED to influence anybody's decision, but why take chances?

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tigerd: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 10; Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:56 am; Thanked: 3 times

by tigerd » Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:40 pm

PrecisionEssay wrote:I always recommend presenting the school you are actually applying to as the best school. Meaning if you apply to Harvard and Duke, don't tell Duke you applied to Harvard, because they will know that if you get in you are gonna go to Harvard... Now it's not SUPPOSED to influence anybody's decision, but why take chances?

So in theory, if you were only applying to Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton, then what would you put down as your other schools?

At any rate, I put down my two safety schools as my "other schools" for every other school that I applied to.

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Jon@Admissionado: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 3135; Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:55 am; Location: Everywhere; Thanked: 589 times; Followed by:332 members

by Jon@Admissionado » Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:28 am

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adamtn: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 15; Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:21 pm; Thanked: 1 times; GMAT Score:770

by adamtn » Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:42 pm

Guess it's too late for me.

I realized why they were asking this (worries about admit rate and maybe to a lesser degree how much time you've had to do the app based on the # of apps you did, to see if you have a theme across schools or if you're just applying to top 5, etc.)

But I was just completely honest in my answer. I thought everybody had to deal with this issue since I thought (perhaps naively) that everybody would just state the truth. Now I'm probably one of the few who my safety schools look at and start to worry based on the other schools I've applied to. Oh well.

Anyway I can mitigate this in an interview?

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Jon@Admissionado: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 3135; Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:55 am; Location: Everywhere; Thanked: 589 times; Followed by:332 members

by Jon@Admissionado » Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:58 am

Well don't worry about it! Be wise enough to understand that you should show whatever school you interview at, that it's the one you like most. but other than that, yes, we do try and cover ourselves the best way possible, but overall if they really want you to come, they really want you to come.

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adamtn: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 15; Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:21 pm; Thanked: 1 times; GMAT Score:770

by adamtn » Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:09 pm

Thanks Jon, yeah that's what I'm going to do, Haas was one I applied to which asked and I know they probably hate losing people to other top schools (who doesn't right?)

It's going to be the whole silicon valley and Haas tech entrepreneurship spin I'm going to have to give 'em. We'll see when (if) the time comes, not even invited yet (applied Jan round).

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Jon@Admissionado: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 3135; Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:55 am; Location: Everywhere; Thanked: 589 times; Followed by:332 members

by Jon@Admissionado » Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:33 am

Sounds like a plan.. and good luck to ya!

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