How to answer how many schools you have applied?

I don't fill it. It's not a must field.

Do you mean on the application or interview?

In either case, I'd be honest, though they'll understand things can change over time. On my R1 applications I think I included USC and Texas because at the time I was considering them, but didn't note HBS or Kellogg because I hadn't anticipated applying for them. My UCLA interviewer asked where else I had applied but I didn't get the feeling that she was judging me for it--she just seemed curious.

I wouldn't be the guy that says "oh, HBS/Kellogg/Wharton is the only school I'm applying to" because they'll see through that and know that you're saying what you think they want to hear. As long as you can convince them you'd be a good fit for their particular school and that you're likely to attend if accepted you should be fine.

I think you need to be honest because the schools do talk to each other, and you never want to be caught in a lie. And really, there is no right or wrong answer here - they are probably just curious, or are gathering data to help understand the landscape.

Agree with this. If it wasn't required, I didn't answer it.

I also did not fill it in. On the other hand, I often ask prospective students this during admissions visits; I don't give any input to admissions (unless I suppose you really screwed up), it's just a conversation piece and also a matter of being able to offer advice (oh, I visited there and really liked it, they had a really good xyz). I would tend to agree that they just want to know that the schools you're picking "make sense" and not that if you apply to Harvard they're not going to accept you. Think about it - they know how to do their job, they don't need your help to figure out which schools you could get into. With that said, I would probably still leave it blank.

when asked a question, being honest never fails. Lying only can come back and haunt you. If you apply to 3 and a few more in R2 if you dont have the success you hope for during R1. Well during a R1 answer 3, then in R2 with whatever you new total is.

As I see it, that question invades my privacy. If you go to a job interview, you'll think it's rude or weird if the interviewer asks you which other firms you're interviewing to. All of us take it for granted that the schools can ask that question (because they do), but I don't think it should be their business.



While I agree you have to be honest (and if asked during the interview you have to answer), I don't think the schools can use the information you gave them and pass it on. I'm no lawyer but it doesn't sound very legal to me.

I agree that honesty is the best policy.

I was asked this question during my interview and answered it truthfully - Usually the reason for asking this is WHY you applied to those schools. As long as your reason is consistent with your school selections, you should be good. If not, they will think that you haven't done enough research in your MBA pursuit.

Not sure if it's invasion of privacy. They asked and you have an option to not answer. But you always want to look honest to your interviewer, whether it's MBA or for jobs. If this issue is a messy, grey-area question, I bet there would've been a lawsuit or something Answer the question and get it out of your mind. Otherwise, god forbids you don't get accepted, you will be like "damn, I should've just answered."

I don't think the schools will talk either. That seems too much work and paperwork on top of all the work and papers that they already have.

Don't they already know from your GMAT score report which schools you sent your scores too? Granted, that doesn't mean you end up applying to those same schools, but it's at least an indicator.

I am not sure they know which schools you are applying to. I think the official score report we get is different from what schools receive from GMAC.

I emailed GMAC at mba.com (I was worried since I applied to many schools) and here is the reply I got:

''Schools will not be able to view your personal applications to other programs. We do have data of general number of candidates who apply to one program that will apply to another but they will not know if you are part of that candidate pool. Thank you for your inquiry."

At least one of the schools I applied to asked for an upload of the unofficial report, and that included the list of schools my scores were sent to.