Application asking for list of other Institutions you're applying to

[Tempest36]

Recently started filling out my PhD applications and two of my choices are asking for a list of where else i'm applying.

I know this is probably paranoia.. But will this affect their decisions at all? Would there be any difference between filling it in or leaving it blank?

[Eigen]

Be honest.

[ImmunoXX]

Be honest. Most applicants apply to multiple schools and they know this.

[iowaguy]

Be honest, but maybe don't list your fallback schools? Of course you (and the rest of us) are applying to multiple programs, but they don't need to know about the lowest ones on the totem pole, do they?

[aberrant]

Either be honest, or just leave it blank (I personally prefer the latter choice).

And it is a case-by-case thing (whether this will affect their decisions or not). While I would supposed that most school don't care as much about where you are applying, I wouldn't say that no schools would factor this list in their decision making. I do know some schools use something like this to arrange interview date to avoid time conflict with another school. [some of them even have a specific section for this. i.e. Which of the following schools are you also applyng? (Please check all that applies).]

[Eigen]

Some schools do use it to gauge how competitive they need to be with offers, though. At least in my discipline.