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Related Discussions
Telling schools who their competition is (Updated w/ answer directly from law school admissions)
LSAT_Wrecker
Member ⭐
I'm applying to 3 schools total, 1 much higher ranked out of state (obvious reach for me) school and 2 schools local to me that are obvious competitors and ranked close to each other. When asked in person by my reach (who actually mentioned one of them), I answered openly. However, does answering the optional question on the application "Which schools have you or do you plan to apply to?" benefit me as an applicant? I realize admissions committee are much better at this than I am and know that I'm applying to multiple schools, but is there a benefit to me in providing this information? Is there a way it could hurt my chances at any of the three schools (each of which have a legitimate chance of me going to for very different reasons)?
For context: I consider myself a competitive applicant for the 2 locals schools (above the 75th LSAT) and a stretch for my reach school (at 25th LSAT).
Pros / cons of providing the information?
Love to hear @"David.Busis" 's opinion as well 
Edit to just bold the question in case its just too much reading.
ETA: I visited a law school today and asked this question directly to their admissions office. They responded with, "To try to determine who is serious about us. Its basically a way we guard our yield."
Comments
I have no idea but I'm interested in hearing more about this! My guess is that the only way it could hurt is if schools see that they're your obvious safety school and might be inclined to YP you, but it seems unlikely in your case.
Isn’t it a required question? Just answer it. No effect. The only reason it is there is for statistical purposes.
I think the only time it can harm you (like it did for me last year) is ie if you apply ie to 10 schools in California, and 1 in New York...with no Why X to the NY school, the NY school will likely WL you even if you’re a shoe-in with your stats. They can tell if you’re just applying to a school at random.
The reach school will know that you are reaching regardless of if they see the rest of your school list.
@"surfy surf" The question is optional (i.e not required on the LSAC app).
@Rtwrtw8 I visited the reach school and toured the campus. I had an open and frank discussion with their assistent admissions director concerning my application and competitiveness for selection at their institution.
@"surfy surf" To dig deeper into this, you say no impact on answering then immediately talk about a negative impact, so I’m left a bit confused.
I’m not trying to hide the fact that I consider the school a reach. I said that directly to them in person and received some guidance as to how to best present myself within my application. The point of my question is “is there downside to answering this optional question.” Based on your response, the answer is “yes”.
FWIW, none of my schools are throw-away or “safety” schools. I can truly see myself going to each one and being happy. There are other schools that I have visited that I will not be applying to because I didn’t like then. I actually want to take my best shot at my apps, hence this question.
I read this from a former T-14 adcomm who said that some schools use it for statistical purposes and other schools use it for yield protection. His advice was to just make sure that the school in question isn't the lowest ranked school you list, if you choose to answer at all.
The more people that answer, the more I am inclined to not answer the question. No one has offered any benefit to me in providing this optional information.
The only benefit might be if they think it's suspicious somehow to not answer the question. I can't see that really having an effect though.
There is no negative in your situation. The example I listed of applying to 10 schools in one region and 1 in another doesn’t apply to you if you’re only applying to three schools. Like I said, if you’re a reach based on your stats, the school will be aware of that regardless of whether or not you list where else you’re applying. I think it’s best not to leave blanks in your application unless it’s something personal you don’t want to share ie ethnicity or assigned gender at birth.
You seem to be focused on my reach school. I care about the impressions of all three of my schools. Much like not providing them my parent's name and addresses (which is absolutely irrelevant for my application as I'm 46 and have children who could be my classmate at law school), I don't have a problem with blanks on optional questions. To me (a glass half empty guy by nature), its just more data that can be used to screen me for yield protection, scholarship negotiations, or some other random variable no one not sitting inside the room knows. To each their own
I was just wondering whether I should answer this question too- I think Chicago asked for it. I am undecided on what I will do.
The issue to me is, I don't know why they want the information. And if I don't know why, I automatically assume the worst. As I'm not a slam dunk at any school (thanks 1998 LSAT_Wrecker!), I'm hesitant to give any additional reasons for them to say no.
Yeah, I guess the benefit to doing that would be to show them they have competition, to show them they need to give me money or what not. I think it may be different from person to person. I am applying to 8 schools so my approach may be different then yours where you have a good idea where you want to go and who you are applying to.
Now that I think of it, I may go ask my pre-law advisor.
Bump.
I visited a law school today and asked this question directly to their admissions office. They responded with, "To try to determine who is serious about us. Its basically a way we guard our yield."
Wow that is different than what I heard. That makes me feel weird for some reason.
@ChaimtheGreat N=1 so take it for what its worth. They did indicate it was more useful towards the end of the cycle when trying to determine if they (the school) are an applicant’s safety. I do think knowing this information will make me approach that question differently for each school. Frankly, as my number of apps is small, I share the information honestly when asked in person. Everyone’s calculus is different.
Talking T14, this is correct. I believe only Chicago and Cornell inquire about other applications. However, it is NOT optional on the GW app.
I see no positive in answering if it is optional. For "safe" schools, the signal is clear: You are not my top choice, actually somewhere at the bottom and, based on my stats, your chances of landing me are slim. For mid-level probability, the signal remains clear: You are not my top choice. Like you better than my safes, but all those reach schools above you are where my heart is. These schools may take a chance at nabbing a top student they suspect won't get into T5 or T10, but the signal is clear. Finally, top schools already know that they are your top choice. Economics aside, most will not turn aside a T5 offer. You are not really telling them anything they don't already know: I want T5!!! But, probability against me, I will be happy with T10 or even T15 if it comes to it.
If I remember correctly, they're basically trying to play game theory with their competition.
I think there is absolutely harm in giving them your list if your list makes it look like that school is one of your fall-backs, or if you have a big list of schools.
I looked at a bunch of harvard acceptances of LSN, and found that a lot of top schools (think CCN or Penn, UVA, etc) who would normally accept these students rejected them, perhaps because they knew either HYS would accept them.