Which Colleges Consider Demonstrated Interest?
What’s Covered:
- Why Do Colleges Consider Demonstrated Interest
- How Can You Show Demonstrated Interest to Colleges
- Which Colleges Consider Demonstrated Interest
- How to Calculate Your Odds of Acceptance
You may have heard that demonstrating interest in colleges is necessary to gain admission. Still, you may wonder how significant a factor this is in the broader context. The fact is, some colleges weigh it heavily, while others don’t consider it at all.
What exactly does it mean to demonstrate interest in a college, and how can you effectively do it? Moreover, which colleges consider it an important factor in the admissions process—and which don’t? Keep reading to find out.
Why Do Colleges Consider Demonstrated Interest?
Some colleges weigh demonstrated interest more heavily in the admissions process than others. It’s essential to understand how much they value it, so you know where to direct your efforts.
Colleges take interest into account because they want to have a strong yield—the percentage of students who accept their offer of admission. Yield impacts rankings, reputation, and other factors, so colleges seek to make their yield as high as possible. When prospective students show that they’re invested in the institution by visiting it or speaking to admissions representatives at college fairs, they are indicating that they are likely to attend if they are extended an offer of admission.
While demonstrated interest alone will not get you into a college when other aspects of your application are lacking (such as academics, extracurriculars, or essays), it can help differentiate you from a candidate who has otherwise comparable strengths but hasn’t expressed as much enthusiasm for the college.
How Can You Show Demonstrated Interest to Colleges?
Visit the College
Campus visits do not only show that you want to learn more about the school; more importantly, they also help you gauge your fit. Be sure to sign up for the official campus tour of schools you are considering. But don’t stop there—participate in activities such as attending lectures or staying with a student in order to get a feel for the daily life of an average student.
Many students are apprehensive about the cost of visiting colleges. There are some options for first-generation and low-income students, such as fly-in programs, which cover the costs of the visits. These programs are generally competitive, though, so keep in mind that there are other ways to demonstrate interest if you’re unable to participate.
Attend College Fairs
Many admissions representatives visit different areas to participate in college fairs. Some may even come to your high school. Make sure to attend these sessions if they do, and ask well-thought-out questions. Generally speaking, these representatives are responsible for your area and will play a crucial role in advocating for your admission to the college, so your interactions should be memorable and meaningful.
Sign Up for Mailing Lists
Even signing up for email and snail-mail lists is a way for you to demonstrate interest in a college, since you’re showing that you want to learn more about the school.
However, don’t assume that clicking a subscribe button alone will be enough. Many colleges track opens and link clicks from individual subscribers and will take this information into account when determining your level of interest. So, make sure to open the emails and newsletters you receive from the college and actively click the links.
Schedule an Interview
Some colleges allow you to interview with an alum in your area or an admissions representative on campus. Interviews are generally evaluated as a component of your application and can also be a chance for you to express your enthusiasm for the school. Make sure to do plenty of research so you can show your knowledge of and investment in the college, as well as ask thoughtful questions.
Pro tip: come prepared with questions for which you can’t find the answer online.
Express Enthusiasm in Your Essays
Some colleges will ask you to write a “Why Us” statement, or something similar. You must show that you’ve researched the school thoroughly and considered why you and the college would be a mutually good fit, being as specific as possible.
For example, perhaps you dream of being a writer and know that the college’s stellar creative writing program has graduated some of your favorite authors. Or, perhaps you want to continue playing the cello, and the school has an advanced non-major orchestra. It’s just as important to talk about extracurricular aspects as it is academic—after all, the school will be your home for four years.
Which Colleges Consider Demonstrated Interest?
We’ve mapped out colleges that consider demonstrated interest very important, important, somewhat important, or not at all important. For colleges that consider it “very important” to “important,” it’s crucial to show your enthusiasm to increase your odds of admission.
Colleges That Consider Interest Very Important:
Colleges That Consider Interest Important:
Colleges That Consider Interest Somewhat Important:
Colleges That Do Not Consider Interest:
How to Calculate Your Odds of Acceptance
Since demonstrated interest alone is unlikely to swing your chances of admission one way or another, you may be wondering how the other, more crucial aspects of your application stack up at your dream schools.
To answer that question, check out CollegeVine’s free chancing engine. It takes into account just about every quantifiable element of your application, including your grades, course rigor, SAT/ACT scores (if you have them), and extracurriculars, to give you personalized odds of acceptance at all of your top-choice schools. You’ll also get suggestions for how to boost your chances of acceptance! Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!
