What does it mean if a potential PI asked me for my personal ranking of their institution?

[wiuehfgiwe]

I had an informal interview with a PI I'm interested in working with. She said she is submitting her recommendation to accept me to the graduate school. She also asked me how highly I rank her institution among all the schools I applied to. This uni in question is not a top 10 in the country, but it's definitely top 30-40 (don't know if that is relevant info). Why do you think she would ask me this question? My answer to the question seems like it should only matter to me; I don't understand why a PI would care how highly I rank their institution. I would think that me even applying means I am interested in going there if I'm accepted.

[MoynihanBreakerBurkina]

Yeah, I think it is odd that they would ask you that question. I mean I understand why they want to know, but I feel like that isn't the most appropriate question for them to ask an applicant...

[DiscoTech]

7 hours ago, wiuehfgiwe said:

I had an informal interview with a PI I'm interested in working with. She said she is submitting her recommendation to accept me to the graduate school. She also asked me how highly I rank her institution among all the schools I applied to. This uni in question is not a top 10 in the country, but it's definitely top 30-40 (don't know if that is relevant info). Why do you think she would ask me this question? My answer to the question seems like it should only matter to me; I don't understand why a PI would care how highly I rank their institution. I would think that me even applying means I am interested in going there if I'm accepted.

The PI, quite justifiably, is trying to get a sense for hiw likely you are to end up at their institution. If you tank them #1, the PI can stop looking for other candidates if/when you decline their offer of admission. If you tank them low, the PI will actively keep looking for other candidates. 

[Mickey26]

I had that question asked in an interview recently. Took me by surprise as I certainly wasn't expecting something so forward, but nonetheless it helps them narrow down their list of applicants