Is it true that programs will refuse to rank you, or rank you lower, if you decline to tell them that your ranking them first? I'm hoping to get feedback from people who actually participate in this process and know the answer.
To make it explicit: program B likes student 1 best. Student 1 likes A best, and tells them so. Meanwhile, student 2 likes B best, and tells them so.
Who does B rank higher: 1 or 2?
Yes. But you will have to accept it.
Can anyone vouch? From a program's standpoint, it just doesn't make sense. Maybe if students 1 or 2 were nearly equal. But what if 1 is far superior? And let's say that B has no indication that A will rank 1 first.
If this were true, that would mean that every program gets their top 3 every year. I just have a hard time believing that.
(08-15-2018, 06:41 AM)Guest Wrote: Can anyone vouch? From a program's standpoint, it just doesn't make sense. Maybe if students 1 or 2 were nearly equal. But what if 1 is far superior? And let's say that B has no indication that A will rank 1 first.
If this were true, that would mean that every program gets their top 3 every year. I just have a hard time believing that.
My experience was that if you are among the top candidates in your year, certain top programs will reach out to you and request a #1 rank for them to reciprocate with a rank to match. Not all top programs engage in this practice, but some great programs did. Ultimately, it depends how risk averse you are, and how much you want to go to a specific program.
In your scenario above, Applicant 1 would only be communicated with by the program regarding ranking preference. If B is not of the same competitiveness, they would not be contacted by a program, and it does not matter if they rank the program #1, they will not match there.
Be wary of these types of calls from programs. I am at a top program that does not participate in this kind of behind the scenes stuff, but it is certainly somewhat common as people have mentioned. I have plenty of friends from when we applied that got the under the table hand shake, ranked that program 1st, only to match else where. My advice for this process, regardless of what programs or other applicants are doing is very simple: rank the programs you actually want to go to regardless of what people tell is you 'reasonable' or 'more likely'. Don't try to game the system based on your personal beliefs on where you might be on a certain programs rank list. Tell your first choice that you are their first choice. Have you home chairman contact your first choice on your behalf. DO NOT contact other programs and say you will 'rank them highly', we all know what that means. DO NOT lie to a program about your intentions, people talk.
Most people do match in their top 3. Good luck.
Correction to above:
Tell your first choice that they are your first choice and you will ranked them #1... Probably won't go so well to call up your first choice and tell them that you are their first choice...
(08-15-2018, 08:54 PM)Guest Wrote: Be wary of these types of calls from programs. I am at a top program that does not participate in this kind of behind the scenes stuff, but it is certainly somewhat common as people have mentioned. I have plenty of friends from when we applied that got the under the table hand shake, ranked that program 1st, only to match else where. My advice for this process, regardless of what programs or other applicants are doing is very simple: rank the programs you actually want to go to regardless of what people tell is you 'reasonable' or 'more likely'. Don't try to game the system based on your personal beliefs on where you might be on a certain programs rank list. Tell your first choice that you are their first choice. Have you home chairman contact your first choice on your behalf. DO NOT contact other programs and say you will 'rank them highly', we all know what that means. DO NOT lie to a program about your intentions, people talk.
Most people do match in their top 3. Good luck.
Correction to above:
Tell your first choice that they are your first choice and you will ranked them #1... Probably won't go so well to call up your first choice and tell them that you are their first choice...
I appreciate your advice. Here's my problem with it though. I would imagine that telling program's they're #1 gives you a "boost", while not doing so may cost you. So, lets say my top 3 programs are:
1. Super-reach
2. Reach
3. Plausible
I would be happy with all 3. So it seems like a dangerous game to rank Super-reach 1, and tell them so. Because then I may damage my chances at Reach and Plausible, even though I'd be happy to match at those programs.
(08-16-2018, 05:42 AM)Guest Wrote: (08-15-2018, 08:54 PM)Guest Wrote: Be wary of these types of calls from programs. I am at a top program that does not participate in this kind of behind the scenes stuff, but it is certainly somewhat common as people have mentioned. I have plenty of friends from when we applied that got the under the table hand shake, ranked that program 1st, only to match else where. My advice for this process, regardless of what programs or other applicants are doing is very simple: rank the programs you actually want to go to regardless of what people tell is you 'reasonable' or 'more likely'. Don't try to game the system based on your personal beliefs on where you might be on a certain programs rank list. Tell your first choice that you are their first choice. Have you home chairman contact your first choice on your behalf. DO NOT contact other programs and say you will 'rank them highly', we all know what that means. DO NOT lie to a program about your intentions, people talk.
Most people do match in their top 3. Good luck.
Correction to above:
Tell your first choice that they are your first choice and you will ranked them #1... Probably won't go so well to call up your first choice and tell them that you are their first choice...
I appreciate your advice. Here's my problem with it though. I would imagine that telling program's they're #1 gives you a "boost", while not doing so may cost you. So, lets say my top 3 programs are:
1. Super-reach
2. Reach
3. Plausible
I would be happy with all 3. So it seems like a dangerous game to rank Super-reach 1, and tell them so. Because then I may damage my chances at Reach and Plausible, even though I'd be happy to match at those programs.
This is a really good question. I too wanna know the answer to this...
Too many variables to answer your question, it will depend on each individual program... No one can answer this kind of question. That is why you are better off acting in your own best interest and ranking your first choice first. Try to game the system and guess where you are on each program's rank list all you want, but at the end of the day, you have your own rank list. If you want to talk yourself into somehow ranking program #2 or #3 first to give yourself a 'better chance' at matching, then do whatever you want. Just my advice from seeing the match play out for the past several years.
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