We also are asked this at nearly every interview, and our child is asked every time. If there was any doubt how outrageous this practice is, consider the reverse: “Who else is applying to the school this year?” I was getting to the brink of saying “Oh we’re not applying here, this is just a practice interview.”
I get that they dearly want to keep their yields up and admission rates low - publications of which is a perverse element of the process easily undone if some of the top schools would stop reporting the numbers. Secondly, they could unwind the pact of no-solicitation until March 10th. Or at least have an Early Action process like colleges do. If it was really clear that Big {Color1} would admit our child we could forgo applications at Big {Color2} – less travel, fees, essays, and stress. These schools are more similar to each other than they’re probably comfortable recognizing and they all have low admit rates so it would be weird not to apply to many schools.