IS IT BAD TO LIST THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT YOU APPLY TO? Forum

[azbycxdd]

Hi everyone,

Quick question: For the George Mason application they ask:

"Please list any other law schools to which you plan to apply"

I'm applying to George Mason as one of my backup schools. I'm worried that if I list all of my reaches and target school it will become obvious that George Mason is not my top choice, which will make the admissions committee look poorly on my application.

What do you guys think? The question does not have a star so it is not required to complete.

I see 3 options:

1. Answer the question fully
2. List only my other backup schools so that it looks like I'm striving for a school around George Mason's level
3. Leave it blank.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[DefyingGravity]

If your numbers are high enough for better schools, Mason will probably figure that you applied to other schools and just didn'tlist them. It really doesn't make sense to leave it blank, as it is normal for people to apply to a wide variety of schools. It shouldn't influence the admission decision.

[cinephile]

I'd go for option 2, but it doesn't really matter.

[emkay625]

For another school that asked the question, I wrote that I was applying to several other schools but had not finalized my list yet. (Which is true).

[lrslayer]

just list one or two peer schools that you have applied to

[Mal Reynolds]

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL GEORGE MASON IS NOT YOUR TOP CHOICE BY YOUR NUMBERS ANYWAY. DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY ARE THAT NAIVE? JUST DON'T LIE ON AN APP.

[AntipodeanPhil]

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL GEORGE MASON IS NOT YOUR TOP CHOICE BY YOUR NUMBERS ANYWAY. DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY ARE THAT NAIVE? JUST DON'T LIE ON AN APP.

+1

IF YOU CHOOSE OPTION 2 THEY WILL SUSPECT THAT YOU ARE LYING. THEY DON'T LIKE LYING, EVEN WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF AS LITTLE WHITE LIES - SEE THE YALE ADMISSIONS BLOG. THERE IS ALSO A SLIM POSSIBILITY THEY WILL ACTUALLY FIND OUT THAT YOU ARE LYING.

IF YOU CHOOSE OPTION 3 YOU RUN THE RISK OF ANNOYING THEM. THEY ASK THE QUESTION FOR A REASON. THEY WANT YOU TO ANSWER IT.

[Gail]

Oh please. They go through thousands of applications a year. You have great numbers, your application is complete, and they're begging to stay where they need to stay in the rankings.


Yes, you not answering the marketing-survey question is going to damn you from George Mason.

List schools, don't list schools. It really isn't going to matter. I listed schools I planned to apply to, and changed my mind as to which ones I was willing to pay the $16 for and which ones I wasn't. Don't worry about it.

[jarofsoup]

They can see the school that you apply to on LSAC if they really wanted to. List everything full disclosure is always best, but I do not think they really care.

[bobbyh1919]

I'm personally getting really tired of these "should I start off my legal career by lying" questions. Answer the question honestly, submit a "why George Mason" if you're that worried about getting in there.

But c'mon guys, don't lie on an application to law school. That's absurd.

[paul34]

.

[bobbyh1919]

If you don't send a nearly completed list, the school is going to either think A) applicant is lying to us (bad) or B) applicant has some odd judgment in his school selection (bad).

[Bronte]

Either way, this question is universally obnoxious. Also obnoxious is when law firm interviewers ask which other firms you're applying to. Also, OP, click "Edit post" and get rid of that all caps. I think you can guess which adjective describes that title.

[paul34]

.

[clarified_butter]

I also find this question obnoxious. Employers (not just law firms) ask this question sometimes too...which always irritated me during interviews.

Either way, this question is universally obnoxious. Also obnoxious is when law firm interviewers ask which other firms you're applying to.

[cubbiesyear]

I thought it was just something they keep for their records/data on the app that requested it when I applied. I just listed a few other schools I had applied to/thought I would apply to and moved on. I don't think I gave a completed list. I didn't think it was a big deal? is this a problem?

law school admissions make me go nuts..

[Bronte]

I thought it was just something they keep for their records/data on the app that requested it when I applied. I just listed a few other schools I had applied to/thought I would apply to and moved on. I don't think I gave a completed list. I didn't think it was a big deal? is this a problem?

law school admissions make me go nuts..

It probably is just something they do for records. They can guess what schools you're applying to from your stats.

[Hopefully2012]

I truthfully listed ~20 schools (or as many as the character limit on the box allowed me to) since I'm a splitter casting a large net. So far my cycle has been going according to plan--leaning towards the optimistic side. HTH

[ahduth]

Just put down Yale and Ave Maria.

[azbycxdd]

Hey guys,

I was going to do option #2, but after reading your responses I think I'm leaning toward option #1.

Thanks so much everyone!

[JamMasterJ]

Just list them all. If they're gonna YP you, it will be based on your numbers, not the other schools on your list.

[vulpixie]

Just put down Yale and Ave Maria.

+1

[tyro]

Hey guys,

I was going to do option #2, but after reading your responses I think I'm leaning toward option #1.

Thanks so much everyone!

So you thought it would be a good idea to lie and then claim in three separate instances that your lie was true to the best of your knowledge? You need to wake up.

[MormonChristian]

Hi everyone,

Quick question: For the George Mason application they ask:

"Please list any other law schools to which you plan to apply"

I'm applying to George Mason as one of my backup schools. I'm worried that if I list all of my reaches and target school it will become obvious that George Mason is not my top choice, which will make the admissions committee look poorly on my application.

What do you guys think? The question does not have a star so it is not required to complete.

I see 3 options:

1. Answer the question fully
2. List only my other backup schools so that it looks like I'm striving for a school around George Mason's level
3. Leave it blank.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

It is all a guessing game of what the admissions committee is looking for, so list them all. It is better though if there is a rifle approach to your schools instead of a shotgun approach. This list comes in handy for the admissions committee when they are trying to pick people off the waitlist.

[Gail]

I'm personally getting really tired of these "should I start off my legal career by lying" questions. Answer the question honestly, submit a "why George Mason" if you're that worried about getting in there.

But c'mon guys, don't lie on an application to law school. That's absurd.

I would not characterize not listing every single school you are applying to as lying - as if it were the same thing as using a false SSN or claiming to be a citizen when, in fact, you are not. Talk about absurd.