Why does a post-doc fellowship application ask where else do I apply?

Question

I'm applying for a post-doc fellowship, and one thing that confused me is that they ask for:> Names of other fellowships for which you are now applyingI have no problem with including them, but I wonder how is this information relevant to this particular application and whether it increases or decreases my chances if I mention I apply for other places or not. (I'm not going to lie of course though!)Any ideas are appreciated.

Answer 1

I'm wondering if this is a requirement for application or if it is optional. If it's optional, then I would leave that line blank. There is no reason for them to dig into this private information. It is relevent to their recruitment practicies. Most undergraduate colleges used to ask the question, however, in our professional meetings this has been a strong contention about privacy.

The information is used to know where the school stands among the competition. To a certain degree, the answer to this question helps them determine where that school stands among the competition.