During an interview, if the interviewer asks what other schools you're applying to...

[tokenadult]

<p>

One of my son’s college choices asks on the application not only which other colleges he’s applying to, but also to list them in preference.

</p>

<p>It’s time to post my FAQ again. (Didn’t I already post it in this thread?) </p>

<p>You could quote chapter and verse from the Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association for College Admission Counseling:</p>

<p>

@NACAC Principles of Good Practice

</p>

<p>B. Admission, Financial Aid and Testing Policies and Procedures</p>

<p>Postsecondary members agree that they will:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>accept full responsibility for admission and financial aid decisions and for proper notification of those decisions to candidates;</p></li>
<li><p>not require candidates or the secondary schools to indicate the order of the candidates’ college or university preferences, except under Early Decision plans;

</p></li>
</ol>

<p><a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/9A4F9961-8991-455D-89B4-AE3B9AF2EFE8/0/SPGP.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/9A4F9961-8991-455D-89B4-AE3B9AF2EFE8/0/SPGP.pdf&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>and once you have done that, you could say, based on whatever is the truth, “Not wanting this to be construed as a statement of my order of preference, I am applying to”</p>

<p>a) “other colleges that appear to offer some of the same features as your college”</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>b) “a varied list of colleges to ensure that I carefully consider what is the best fit between me and each college”</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>c) “small liberal arts colleges with a focus on undergraduate teaching” (or whatever summary characteristic applies to all colleges on your list)</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>d) “a list of colleges developed according to policies of my high school counseling office”</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>e) “[actual list] but this list should not be taken to be in preference order”</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>f) “a list of colleges that I would rather not mention here, so that we take extra care to follow NACAC principles of good practice.”</p>

<p>Your own creativity can probably come up with some more choices. I do NOT see this question on many of the college application forms I have downloaded from the Web this year.</p>

<p>The same NACAC rules would apply to spoken questions in interviews as to written questions on application forms. IF you are applying to a college with an early decision round (but does this issue still apply at this time of year?) it is very fair and expected for the college to ask what your order of preference is, but in any other case, you have the right as an application to say, “I shouldn’t tell you, because NACAC says you shouldn’t ask” about order of preference. </p>

<p>Again, I don’t think it is risky to be honest. If it IS risky to be honest, you probably shouldn’t attend that college if admitted. But you are welcome to give your answer in general terms, e.g., “other colleges about the size of your college, in various parts of the country,” or do whatever else is responsive to the question and polite but well within the limits of the NACAC principle of discouraging colleges from asking for a preference list.</p>