<p>Without any real evidence, I do think it’s about yield protection. On the other hand, I don’t think Yale is asking this question. I think Yale expects it applicants are also applying to Harvard and Princeton and Columbia and Stanford. And Yale doesn’t particularly need to protect its yield since it has a yield that is the envy of most other private colleges and universities.</p>
<p>In my limited experience it’s been the colleges ranked number 50 through 100 that were more likely to ask this question. I think a lot of them are trying to detect (and not to reward) applicants who are using them as safety schools.</p>
<p>JMO, as I said before.</p>
<p>And IMO, not especially wise on the colleges’ part. My kid now happily attends the university I always thought of as her safety, despite having been admitted to the higher ranked university that I assumed was her first choice when she was applying. The supposed safety kind of wooed her and won her over, and we’re all very happy about it.</p>