Asking about school applications when interviewed

[Mandzi34]

Hi all,

DS was asked which other schools he'd applied to at a selected independent. Is this common practice? He was asked at another if it was his first choice but not what the other schools were. At the third school he wasn't asked anything regarding other applications.

Yes, it's common practice. Registrars (who of course all talk to each other about numbers) are trying to establish how many actual pupils there are behind the number of applications they receive. So keeping up to date with how many applications people are going for that very year is one quite important strand in deciding how many offers to make.

Ditto finding out if you're very likely, moderately likely, or quite unlikely to accept an offer if made. They are not going to mark you 'down' because you are applying to others, because everyone does it.

Interviewees always needs to find reasons why the school that is interviewing them is just right for them, and be enthusiastic (doesn't actually matter if they're even more enthusiastic about another).

Thanks for the information. I thought it strange that he wasn't asked if it was his first choice when asked about the other schools he was applying to. Shame as it was!