Demonstrated Interest
Colleges receive thousands of applications each year! How do they know that you are truly interested in them? How are you showing THEM the love?
You gather data to help you decide if this college is a fit for you. You’re getting to know the college, but is the college getting to know you? How is a college supposed to know you’re interested in them? By demonstrating your interest.
In this post:
Find out what demonstrated interest is.
How is demonstrated interest used.
How can you show demonstrated interest.
As a high school student, you do so much research on colleges that you’re interested in. You may go on a college tour, attend a college fair, peruse the schools’ website, or even talk to friends who attend colleges that pique your interest. All this work to gather data to help you decide if this school is a fit for you. You’re getting to know the college, but is the college getting to know you? How is a college supposed to know you’re interested in them?
Colleges receive thousands of applications each cycle! How do they know that you are truly interested in them? How are you showing THEM the love?
This is where demonstrated interest comes in.
SO, WHAT IS DEMONSTRATED INTEREST?
Demonstrated interest: a student demonstrating an interest in the college of their choice. Essentially, demonstrated interest is any time a student has connected with a college in some meaningful way to show that they are interested and that they want to attend.
DO ALL COLLEGES TRACK DEMONSTRATED INTEREST?
No, not all colleges use demonstrated interest in the admissions process. It isn’t the most important factor, but it may play a role.
How do you know if they use demonstrated interest? The easiest way is to ask the admissions representative. Another option is to do a little bit of digging. Google the Common Data Set along with the college name and review section C7. This is a chart that shows the college admission factors.
HOW IS DEMONSTRATED INTEREST USED?
A college that uses demonstrated interest will consider the meaningful interactions a student has with the school when reviewing the application.
Colleges want to enroll students who really want to attend their university. For an admissions office that is rifling through thousands of applications, your name may catch their attention if you have demonstrated interest.
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HOW DO YOU SHOW DEMONSTRATED INTEREST?
CAMPUS VISITS & INFORMATION SESSIONS
Attending an official campus visit is a great way to show demonstrated interest. A bonus is that it also allows you to look around and decide if you like what you see. Of course, it’s not always feasible for everyone to tour a college campus in person. There are other ways to accomplish this same thing.
❖ Virtual College Tours/Information Sessions – The pandemic really made colleges pivot to offer ways to get students more information when campuses were closed. They added virtual visits and info sessions. You can find these listed on the same webpage where you sign up for official on-campus visits. Often, the timing is more convenient for students.
❖ Self-Guided Tours - Sometimes, a self-guided tour is the best you can do. But it’s not demonstrating interest unless the college knows you’re there. See if there’s a way to register that you are doing a self-guided tour or reach out to your admissions rep before you come to campus and let them know you will be doing this type of tour. They might be able to meet with you personally or give you some recommendations on what to see based on your interest.
❖ Open Houses or Preview Days - These are day-long events, usually on a weekend. They’re a great way to get a glimpse of life on campus because they roll out the red carpet and show you everything! But make sure to check the school's calendar, as these dates usually happen only in the fall or spring.
COLLEGE FAIRS, HIGH SCHOOL VISITS, & SPECIAL EVENTS
❖ College fairs are where students can get to know lots of colleges at one event. They are usually at a high school or sometimes at a convention center. Remember to share your name with the schools that interest you.
❖ High school visits are when colleges send the admissions counselor to high schools during the school day to meet students and provide information about their college. While admissions counselors can't make it to every high school, they always try to be available via email, so don't be afraid to reach out!
❖ Special events are when colleges set up a reception, meeting, or gathering to offer information about their schools. You can see when these are taking place on the college website, or, if you are on their mailing list, you may get an email letting you know when and where.
These are all great opportunities for students to learn more about a college, have specific questions answered, and possibly meet the person who will be reading their application. I always recommend students try to attend these events. They are also great sources of information that students can utilize in their applications!
COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR
Even if you haven’t met your admissions counselor in person, there are other ways to communicate with them. It sounds simple but search the college website. Under admissions, find the person assigned to your state, region, or high school. If you can’t find who to contact, feel free to reach out to the general admissions office by email or phone. They will make sure to connect you to the appropriate counselor.
Communicating your demonstrated interest with the admissions counselor does not end after you apply. Feel free to update them with any new changes. Examples of what you can share are a change in grades, receiving an award, or a new leadership opportunity or job.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow colleges on social media. Individual colleges have lots of different social platforms they utilize. Whatever social platform you are on, find the college and follow them. Check for anything you are interested in, the sports teams, clubs, or even academic departments. If it interests you, follow it! It is a great way to get a glimpse of what is happening on campus and help you decide if this could be the college for you. It’s also an easy way to find those little details that you can utilize in your application.
IS THAT ALL YOU NEED TO DO?
Even after you’ve been on campus, introduced yourself to your admissions counselor, and sent in your application, there are still a few other ways you can continue to show a strong interest to the college of your dreams.
❖ Applying ED and EA are direct avenues to show demonstrated interest. As a student, if you know that you REALLY want to attend a particular college, it may be helpful to apply ED or EA. But remember, ED is binding, which means you MUST attend if they accept you. EA will allow you to learn of your decision earlier, but you don’t have to accept it until May 1st.
❖ Interviews: Some colleges offer interviews. These interviews may be with the admission rep, an alumnus, or with a current student. Colleges can’t offer interviews to everyone. Check on the school’s admissions page to learn more about the interview process. Interviews may not make a big difference in the admissions process, but I still recommend doing them! They are another avenue for you to gather more information and to show how interested you are in the school. The interview is a great way to put a face to your application.
❖ Lastly, college admission often monitors who opens their emails or are the emails staying open long enough to be read? Is the student clicking on links in the email? For some schools it matters a lot, for others not so much. But why risk it? Each email contains pertinent information and usually doesn’t take long to read. Schools tailor their emails based on season (football, holiday) and often include some humor which might bring a smile to you and give you a chance to appreciate how the school communicates.
Demonstrated interest is a real part of admissions at many colleges. You don’t want to disregard it or miss out on opportunities, but always keep in mind that it’s a small piece of a bigger puzzle. If you, as a student, are thoroughly taking the time to get to know a college, meaningful interest usually follows.
Gail Nichols, Independent College Consultant for over 12 years. Helping students to find their college is my passion.
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