"List any other schools you're applying to." Forum

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Why do schools ask this on their application, and is it worth giving them the entire list?

[CookieDough]

Why do schools ask this on their application, and is it worth giving them the entire list?

Not sure why, but probably just for their own information to see which schools they are grouped with for you. I'd say give them a few that are similarly ranked, and leave it at that.

[Baby_Got_Feuerbach]

Why do schools ask this on their application, and is it worth giving them the entire list?

Not sure why, but probably just for their own information to see which schools they are grouped with for you. I'd say give them a few that are similarly ranked, and leave it at that.

My thoughts too.

[062914123]

.

[midwest17]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

[koalacity]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

Welp, I left mine blank-I think it's a bit ridiculous that they ask, honestly. How is it relevant?

[Pneumonia]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

these two are not necessarily synonymous.
also, why would you do this?

it's not required on any of the apps; they just want to know.

[CookieDough]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

these two are not necessarily synonymous.
also, why would you do this?

it's not required on any of the apps; they just want to know.

Also, if you decide to apply to other schools later, it's not like you'd send an update... But maybe my opinion is clouded by the fact that I'm applying to more schools than most on here... No way I'm writing them all out just to satisfy someone's curiosity.

[SPerez]

I can only speak for myself, but as others alluded to I want all the information about an application I can get. You never know what piece of information might end up being relevant to me. What other law schools a person is applying to gives me some insight to the person's mindset and their goals.

1) If it's a marginal out of state applicant and we're the only Texas school on their list, I wonder why. If they don't tell me, then it makes me think twice about burning an admit on a marginal candidate with low odds they will actually come. (Note, this sounds like YP, but it's different than the way most think about it on TLS. It's not to try and keep my LSAT/GPA numbers up. This example is dealing with a marginal candidate, in which case I'd rather have someone I have a better chance of actually getting.)

2) If it's someone at my 90th percentile for LSAT and GPA and all their other schools are in Texas, then I know I might have a shot at them. If there are no other Texas schools and the list is all T25, then I'm less sure. I could either have a chance b/c there's some non-academic reason they applied (e.g. family, sig other in med school, etc.) or I have zero chance at all. Same if all the other schools are NYC/Chicago/LA, pretty much no chance anything I do will get them to Lubbock. Still admitting them with a scholarship, but understanding that they are low/no yield.

3) Someone with good numbers and only lists Tech and lower ranked schools. I'm not an idiot so I know they are almost certainly applying to higher ranked schools, and I know that they likely purposely left off schools for some reason. Doesn't really matter what the reason is, just that they thought about it enough to formulate a plan, which is "that guy" behavior in my book.

4) Same as #3 for people who try to be cute by saying "Texas Tech is the only law school I have applied to at this time," or that they "may" apply to additional schools in the future. Give me a break. Yes, some people don't know all their schools up front, but most do. Plus, it's pretty obvious that what we're looking for would include schools you plan to apply to even if you haven't actually submitted your application yet.

TL;DNR: Fill it out completely and honestly or not at all. Not worth putting extra thought into beyond that.

Dean Perez

[midwest17]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

these two are not necessarily synonymous.
also, why would you do this?

it's not required on any of the apps; they just want to know.

My recollection was that it was marked as required, but that might be (a) something screwed up on LSAC's app, or (b) only for certain schools.

[koalacity]

I can only speak for myself, but as others alluded to I want all the information about an application I can get. You never know what piece of information might end up being relevant to me. What other law schools a person is applying to gives me some insight to the person's mindset and their goals.

1) If it's a marginal out of state applicant and we're the only Texas school on their list, I wonder why. If they don't tell me, then it makes me think twice about burning an admit on a marginal candidate with low odds they will actually come. (Note, this sounds like YP, but it's different than the way most think about it on TLS. It's not to try and keep my LSAT/GPA numbers up. This example is dealing with a marginal candidate, in which case I'd rather have someone I have a better chance of actually getting.)

2) If it's someone at my 90th percentile for LSAT and GPA and all their other schools are in Texas, then I know I might have a shot at them. If there are no other Texas schools and the list is all T25, then I'm less sure. I could either have a chance b/c there's some non-academic reason they applied (e.g. family, sig other in med school, etc.) or I have zero chance at all. Same if all the other schools are NYC/Chicago/LA, pretty much no chance anything I do will get them to Lubbock. Still admitting them with a scholarship, but understanding that they are low/no yield.

3) Someone with good numbers and only lists Tech and lower ranked schools. I'm not an idiot so I know they are almost certainly applying to higher ranked schools, and I know that they likely purposely left off schools for some reason. Doesn't really matter what the reason is, just that they thought about it enough to formulate a plan, which is "that guy" behavior in my book.

4) Same as #3 for people who try to be cute by saying "Texas Tech is the only law school I have applied to at this time," or that they "may" apply to additional schools in the future. Give me a break. Yes, some people don't know all their schools up front, but most do. Plus, it's pretty obvious that what we're looking for would include schools you plan to apply to even if you haven't actually submitted your application yet.

TL;DNR: Fill it out completely and honestly or not at all. Not worth putting extra thought into beyond that.

Dean Perez

Thank you for the explanation! I can understand your rationale for wanting to know. However, for a school like Chicago, it seems like most of these reasons don't really apply-Chicago is one of the most elite schools in the country and is located in a major metropolitan area, and I would think that most of the people applying to Chicago tend to be applying to the same group of 5-20 schools. Whereas Tech has a valid reason to wonder why an applicant-either a marginal one or one with extremely strong numbers-would choose to go to Lubbock if they don't have ties to Texas, UChicago doesn't really have to wonder why someone would want to go to Chicago.

[TheSpanishMain]

I assumed it was basically a survey question. If you assume most people apply to schools at which they are at least somewhat competitive, then it tells you something about the applicant perception of your school if you can see what schools people think are roughly your peers.

Also lets them know if you're targeting a specific region or if you just shotgunned it.

[SPerez]

I forgot to add that the question is included in a section of "standard" questions on the electronic application offered by LSAC and used by every (as far as I know) law school. Right now they don't quite have the ability to pick and choose individual questions in that section so most schools likely just said "Yeah, I'd like to know some of that stuff" and included the entire sections in their application.

A school has to affirmatively choose to make that question required, though so if they did that then they did put some thought into that specific question.

Dean Perez

[Crowing]

I would answer it honestly; give them the full list.

Welp, I left mine blank-I think it's a bit ridiculous that they ask, honestly. How is it relevant?

I didn't answer it on any of my apps when I applied. It doesn't matter at all.