Do people ask : what other school you applied to during an interview? if so, what's the wise answer??

[everlast_]

Hello everyone 

I will be attending three interviews for Master of Marriage and Family and Therapy programs the week after next week. and I am preparing for the possible question and answers. A question popped out : what if they ask me if I have applied to other programs?

should I be honest and tell them all the schools that I applied to ( even MSWs )?  I am just worried that it may make me sound less determined to the program that I will be interviewed. 

 

also would knowing an applicant has applied to a school that's ranked higher then their school has any effect on their admission decision? <for example (just for example..)  would a school ranked 20 be more willing to accept an candidate who also applied and got the interview invitation for a school that's ranked 10?  or would a school that's ranked 100 be hesitate to give out their admission when they know the candidate has gone to a top school interview because they don't want to waste their quota for admission? > 

I haven't seen people discussing about it in the forum so maybe it is some sort of common sense? 

I am an international student so, sorry if I asked inappropriate questions... I just wanted to  know what's expect in an interview for question like that ?

 

Thanks a lot!!! good luck everyone! 

 

 

[BiochemMom]

I didn't have someone ask that at an interview but at a faculty dinner, a person I requested to interview me was hosting and I told him so. He playfully mock interviewed me and then told me why he asked every question. Found out later he actually was on the admissions committee.

He asked me the where else did I apply question and I listed everywhere. He then told me they ask that question to gauge how well you know your own research. He said I wanted to do structural biology (when I told him Duke i also added I had realized the research fit wasn't there and I was no longer interested in them) and only applied to schools with people who do well in that area and had realized the one school who is famously good for biochem was more about dynamics than structure.

So they, at least at my last interview, want to make sure you know what you want and where to go to get it.

[MidwesternAloha]

The best answer is to be honest. You want to appear competitive ("Yes, I have interviews at these 3 or so other places") but also serious about THEIR program. If you say "nowhere else" they may wonder if you're being truthful or if you really aren't prepared for graduate school, but if you say, "oh, yes, I have interviews at Hopkins and Mayo and Sloan-Kettering and UC and Harvard," they may be put off by that and assume your devotions lie elsewhere. Gradcoms aren't stupid, they know you applied to more than one school. Your value is also highlighted by how much other schools want you, too. Just don't rattle off a thousand other schools.

Edited February 23, 2015 by MidwesternAloha

[isilya]

I just answered honestly. I mean, I made sure to say that I was really excited about the school, but that I was visiting other places as well. I was very honest if they asked any further questions as well. People always pointed out this one school that sticks out like a sore thumb because it's so different from everywhere else I applied, and I just said that I wanted to apply to a variety of departments. It seems to be fine...

[everlast_]

The best answer is to be honest. You want to appear competitive ("Yes, I have interviews at these 3 or so other places") but also serious about THEIR program. If you say "nowhere else" they may wonder if you're being truthful or if you really aren't prepared for graduate school, but if you say, "oh, yes, I have interviews at Hopkins and Mayo and Sloan-Kettering and UC and Harvard," they may be put off by that and assume your devotions lie elsewhere. Gradcoms aren't stupid, they know you applied to more than one school. Your value is also highlighted by how much other schools want you, too. Just don't rattle off a thousand other schools.

Thank you so much MidwesternAloha, this sound like a practical advice. I ll think about how I ll handle the line between competitive but also devoted..

 

[everlast_]

I didn't have someone ask that at an interview but at a faculty dinner, a person I requested to interview me was hosting and I told him so. He playfully mock interviewed me and then told me why he asked every question. Found out later he actually was on the admissions committee.

He asked me the where else did I apply question and I listed everywhere. He then told me they ask that question to gauge how well you know your own research. He said I wanted to do structural biology (when I told him Duke i also added I had realized the research fit wasn't there and I was no longer interested in them) and only applied to schools with people who do well in that area and had realized the one school who is famously good for biochem was more about dynamics than structure.

So they, at least at my last interview, want to make sure you know what you want and where to go to get it.

Thanks BiochemMom, I am not applying for a research orientated program so I guess It's easier in a sense that I don't have to have a specific research interest but still it was helpful to know why they are ask that question.. Thanks a lot for that   

[everlast_]

I just answered honestly. I mean, I made sure to say that I was really excited about the school, but that I was visiting other places as well. I was very honest if they asked any further questions as well. People always pointed out this one school that sticks out like a sore thumb because it's so different from everywhere else I applied, and I just said that I wanted to apply to a variety of departments. It seems to be fine...

 So being honest but also knows why THAT school stands out?  cool cool I ll think about that . Thanks a lot isilya,