Can schools find about your other target schools?

Question

In a chat session, someone brought up a point about GMAT scores. He said that there's a rumor that in the official GMAT score report, the schools can see which other schools you have sent your score to. Is this true? That's kinda silly. Cos as soon as Columbia sees that someone has sent his/her score to W/S, he/she will be dinged!

R.E.D. · Answer

When I talked to my friend, who matriculated last year, he said, that schools do not know where else you send the applications, unless you're asked about it. But, it's still rather interesting, what information school receives with score report.

kidderek · Answer

I'm sure they can figure it out if they were so inclined. As for me, of the 5 schools that I put down on GMAT day, I'm applying to just one. So who know? 

This "fit" stuff that bschools harp about really does matter.

ishcabibble · Answer

What I thought was interesting was that in the online application part for OSU, they flat out ask you what other schools you're applying to. Of course, since I wasn't applying anywhere else, it didn't matter, but are they allowed to ask you that?

gixxer1000 · Answer

I've run into the same situation. It point blank asks what other school you are applying to. I dont know what to do. Should I be honest or just put down nothing. I'm applying to both NYU and Columbia. On the one hand telling NYU I'm applying to Columbia could be looked at as though I'm not as serious about NYU, but on the other hand if I want to work in NY I'd be foolish to only apply to one and they have to know this. :dunnow

kryzak · Answer

Same with Haas. I chose not to answer the question because it wasn't "required".

lepium · Answer

How would they know that you'd get in? Specially at S, there's no way to predict.

L.

mNeo · Answer

They wouldn't know that we would get in at S/W or whatever school, but they would certainly be worried about becoming a "backup" school for such an applicant. Specially if they find that Col wasn't even there in the first list of schools where the GMAT scores were to be sent.

I still haven't seen anybody confirm if the schools can see your 'other' schools or not.

haddy74 · Answer

this is so true

aaudetat · Answer

Has anyone done a search? We went on and on about this issue last year.

For what it's worth, UNC asks where you apply for their Part A application, which is due well before the rest of it. By the time I submitted Part B, I had changed my mind about which schools I was applying to. I asked someone at admissions if she wanted me to update that info, and she said it wasn't necessary, that the question was entirely for market research and didn't reflect on my application. 

So she said.

kryzak · Answer

I still don't trust them... I'm paranoid...

R.E.D. · Answer

You make me think about the choice of Columbia... It wasn't on the list, because the backup schools were Duke and Darden, but later I changed the idea and put Columbia into the final, after-exam list...

Can schools find about your other target schools?

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