Reporting Other Applications

meletzyosher

I've seen on some law schools apps that they want to know other schools you have applied or will be applying to. Do schools find this out anyway?

Louislepauvre

99.9% sure they have no way of knowing. I’m not answering it. I don’t want schools to know where they stand in my batch. That info could affect scholarship money, acceptance. I really think it’s none of their business.

meletzyosher

I agree about it being none of their business. But, and here's the twist, what if I list a school ranked far below theirs? Now they will think the other school is the safety school and they are the real goal!! Haha!! Sucks to be an admissions officer!

Louislepauvre

@meletzyosher said:
I agree about it being none of their business. But, and here's the twist, what if I list a school ranked far below theirs? Now they will think the other school is the safety school and they are the real goal!! Haha!! Sucks to be an admissions officer!

But what if that translates to: Let’s not give them scholarship money. They’ll get it from that shitty school, and if they want it, they can ask.

meletzyosher

Because if I'm already accepted they don't want me to withdraw. That looks bad. And why reject me if I really want to come?

skernosh

I had this same question. It seems like a really odd question to ask. Initially I filled mine out, but I think I am just going to leave it blank.

LSAT_Wrecker

There are a couple of previous threads on this topic but fwiw, I flat out asked one adcom why they asked that question. She told me, “blah blah blah, yield protection, blah blah blah.” I did not answer the question on any application on which it was optional. I did get into the school (w/$$$$) that answered the question.

N=1 so take it with a grain of salt.

Supernovice

They are digging for intel on you. It's like "talking to the cops;" you don't have to do it, but if they ask and you tell them, then that's all fine and usually not to your benefit. hehe

There's a podcast on here where David interviews a former admissions chick and she addresses this directly--it's them wanting information on you AND other schools. You can use other schools as a bargaining chip when applying, especially if they've made you an offer. Think of it as "leverage," if used properly. Somewhere, there's a strategy here. Just gotta find out exactly what it is, but you guys are on the right track. It seems like the application version of "Paper/Rock/Scissors." You know the other person is gonna do Rock, so you should do Paper, but if they know that you know that they are gonna do Rock and anticipating that you do Paper, then they're going to do Scissors... But if that's a foregone conclusion, what if you decide just to do Scissors, but, of course, they're clever so, they could know that you know that they know that you know.... Blech.

Just answer their question with a question: "Have you applied to any other law schools?"

"I dunno... Have I?" Muahahaha! 🙅😎

The interview was pretty cool and worth a listen.

You can find it here: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/18596/7sage-podcast-episode-9-admissions-behind-the-scenes-david-busis-and-selene-steelman