To what other graduate schools are you seeking admission?

[Roni1985]

"To what other graduate schools are you seeking admission?"

I noticed that the different programs (Financial Engineering) ask this question, but I don't understand what the reason for asking the question is. Can the info influence the decision of the admissions committee ?
I think listing many or even any can really influence the decision because it shows how committed you are going to be in case they accept you.

People who applied (and got accepted) to any MS program in the US, how did you answer this question?


Roni.

 

[twofish-quant]

I noticed that the different programs (Financial Engineering) ask this question, but I don't understand what the reason for asking the question is. Can the info influence the decision of the admissions committee ?

Not really. I think it's mostly so that they can gather statistical information about who their competitors are. We ask similar questions in job interviews. It doesn't affect the outcome of the interview, but if we notice that lots of people are apply to our competitor, we find out what they are doing.

People who applied (and got accepted) to any MS program in the US, how did you answer this question?

They ask what other programs you are applying to. You tell them what other programs you are applying to.

 

[Roni1985]

Not really. I think it's mostly so that they can gather statistical information about who their competitors are. We ask similar questions in job interviews. It doesn't affect the outcome of the interview, but if we notice that lots of people are apply to our competitor, we find out what they are doing.



They ask what other programs you are applying to. You tell them what other programs you are applying to.

Thank you for your help, the information was very helpful.


Roni.

 

[Jack21222]

I wonder how the committee would respond to an answer like "I decline to answer this question for personal reasons" or something along those lines.

Not only do they want free market research, they want me to PAY them so they can conduct market research.

The other places I'm applying are none of their business.

 

[twofish-quant]

I wonder how the committee would respond to an answer like "I decline to answer this question for personal reasons" or something along those lines.

Very badly. If you really have a religious or moral reason not to answer, then that's fine, but I think you'd have to explain what that reason is.

Not only do they want free market research, they want me to PAY them so they can conduct market research.

Sure. But it's really a trivial thing in exchange for getting a grad school admission. If you strongly object to answering that question, then you will have a really tough time with the five million other things that they expect for you to do.

The other places I'm applying are none of their business.

They think it is, and they are giving you the admission.

 

[Ryker]

Roni1985, don't give this question a second thought, seriously. Just answer the question truthfully and list ALL universities you are applying to. It's an innocent question, and like twofish-quant said, it's just that they want to know what other universities people are applying to. Them receiving feedback on these things can be used, for example, to improve the admissions process (say, if they have (a) serious competitor(s) who's giving out admissions decision earlier than they are, they might improve on that, as well, so as to not lose people they deem fit for their program to them). If you're only going to list the university you're applying to, it really won't make you look better, because either a) they're not going to believe it, and will be annoyed or just won't care (in which case you'll be no better off) or b) they will believe you and think you're stupid for applying to only one school.

As an anecdote, I applied for several Masters programs (not Science) last year in the UK, listed all of the universities I was applying to, and was not influenced negatively by that at all. And I actually found it fun filling out all fields they had available for that question

In a nutshell, don't be paranoid, it's not a trap