Is Demonstrated Interest Important and Which Colleges Care About It

Feb 14, 2023

  

Compiling the college list is one of the most critical steps in college preparation. Why? The application fees could amount to over two to three thousand dollars. Imagine applying to the wrong schools hoping to get the desired result. It is your final destination. This entails research, travel, and in many cases, introducing yourself to colleges to affirm interest. The colleges are looking for suitable candidates, and establishing a good connection is in your best interest. Make your interest very apparent in your visits, essays, and communications with admissions staff. 

Here is how to do it: 

  • Build a track record of consistent contact. From college fairs to campus visits to personal interviews, take each opportunity to talk with the college representative. Be sure to complete the contact card and scan the QR code so the college sees how often you reach out. And if you have been invited to an interview or if you connect with a representative who has answered your questions and has helped you, send a thank-you note afterward.
  • Make your case in the supplemental application essays. Many supplemental essay prompts ask you to explain why you want to attend that college. Even if the prompt doesn't do this, work your reasons into your answer.
  • Show you've researched the college. In your questions and essays, make it clear that you took time to learn the college's basics. For example, refer to something you read in the college's mission, faculty bios, or student newspaper.
  • Apply early. Applying early, especially for an early decision, shows the college that you consider it a top choice. Just be sure to show your interest in other ways so they know you are serious about attending.

TIPS FOR MAKING A STRONG CASE

  • Connect with other college staff. For example, if a professor is impressed with your level of interest, they may let the admission office know. The same goes for people in charge of other programs such as sports, music, the student newspaper, ROTC, etc.
  • Connect through social media. Many admission departments maintain blogs and Facebook pages. Look up the college pages on Linkedin and, follow them, ask serious questions that show your interest. Tag colleges and engage appropriately if you have an active social media account. 
  • List a favorite college first on the FAFSA. My general advice is to arrange the colleges alphabetically; however, if you have a top choice, mention it first. Some colleges want to know where they appear on the list of colleges you provide when you apply for financial aid using the FAFSA. So, if you have an absolute top choice, list it first. Otherwise, list your colleges alphabetically so that no college is a clear first choice.
  1. Apply Early: Of course, there is no better way to express your interest in a school than by applying through their Early Decision (binding) program. In addition, look into plans like Single Choice (or Restrictive) Early Action. Based on the timing and method of your application, admission officers can sense your level of interest.
  2. I encourage my students to engage with the regional admission officer. The representative for each region is listed on the colleges' website. Despite what some may think, the college application process is very human. Real people read each file, and honest discussions are had about each applicant. Therefore, you should be encouraged to reach out and express your knowledge of the school and your interest in enrolling. When engaging, remember that it is always about the quality of the information provided to the admission officer – not the quantity. Therefore, one effective email that updates the admission officer while affirming a strong interest in attending the university should also be enough.
  3. Attend a high school visit or information session. Admission officers are back on the road post-COVID. When you attend a webinar or a presentation by admissions, be prepared to ask questions and take notes. If possible, when you visit universities – and let the admission team know you were there! I know this can get pricey, and sometimes visiting after you get the admission letter makes more sense. However, a student that can set foot on campus before the application process sends a strong signal to the admission committee that the university is high on the applicant's list. After the visit, email the admission counselor (admission officer) and just let them know how much you appreciate the introduction. Such gestures can earn you some mileage.

 

Finally, most universities have a specific supplement question asking why the student is applying to that particular school. Students must show that they have researched the school and present clear reasons for selecting the college. Answers that focus on the campus's beauty or the basketball team's record will not help establish demonstrated interest in a university.

It is important to know that not all colleges keep demonstrated interest records.

The Ivy Leagues for example, will not bother as they are the most obvious choice. However, if you have a local college and plan to apply, establish the connections I've described above. Many students consider their hometown school an easy choice without realizing that the most apparent choice needs to be supported by a visit and a demonstrated interest. Imagine their surprise when they get deferred or rejected!

College visits and demonstrated interest are not trivial and shouldn't be treated as frivolously spent time.  

Here is a comprehensive list of which college keeps track of demonstrated interest. For more news and current college info follow VoicED on social media https://www.facebook.com/groups/collegeadmissionsmastermind/  or scan the QR code. 

COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

DEMONSTRATED INTEREST

American University

Very Important

Cooper Union

Very Important

Dickinson College

Very Important

Hampshire College

Very Important

Ithaca College

Very Important

Morehouse College

Very Important

Quinnipiac University

Very Important

Syracuse University

Very Important

Thomas Aquinas College

Very Important

United States Air Force Academy

Very Important

United States Naval Academy

Very Important

Allegheny College

Important

Auburn University

Important

Bates College

Important

Bentley University

Important

Butler University

Important

DePaul University

Important

Eckerd College

Important

Elon University

Important

Fairfield University

Important

Florida Institute of Technology

Important

High Point University

Important

Kenyon College

Important

Lehigh University

Important

Loyola University Chicago

Important

Michigan State University

Important

Oglethorpe University

Important

Reed College

Important

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Important

Roanoke College

Important

Seattle University

Important

Seton Hall University

Important

Skidmore College

Important

The College of Wooster

Important

Trinity College

Important

United States Merchant Marine Academy

Important

United States Military Academy

Important

University of Arizona

Important

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Important

Wheaton College

Important

Agnes Scott College

Considered

Babson College

Considered

Bard College

Considered

Barnard College

Considered

Baylor University

Considered

Beloit College

Considered

Berea College

Considered

Binghamton University – SUNY

Considered

Boston University

Considered

Bradley University

Considered

Brandeis University

Considered

Brigham Young University

Considered

Case Western Reserve University

Considered

Catholic University

Considered

Chapman University

Considered

Clark University

Considered

Colby College

Considered

College of Charleston

Considered

College of the Holy Cross

Considered

Colorado College

Considered

Colorado School of Mines

Considered

Connecticut College

Considered

Cornell College

Considered

Dartmouth College

Considered

Davidson College

Considered

Denison University

Considered

DePauw University

Considered

Drew University

Considered

Drexel University

Considered

Duke University

Considered

Fordham University

Considered

Franklin & Marshall College

Considered

Furman University

Considered

George Mason University

Considered

George Washington University

Considered

Georgia Institute of Technology

Considered

Gettysburg College

Considered

Gonzaga University

Considered

Goucher College

Considered

Grinnell College

Considered

Hamilton College

Considered

Haverford College

Considered

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Considered

Hofstra University

Considered

Howard University

Considered

Juniata College

Considered

Kalamazoo College

Considered

Knox College

Considered

Lafayette College

Considered

Lake Forest College

Considered

Lawrence University

Considered

Lewis & Clark College

Considered

Loyola University Maryland

Considered

Marietta College

Considered

Marist College

Considered

Marquette University

Considered

Middlebury College

Considered

Mount Holyoke College

Considered

Muhlenberg College

Considered

New York University

Considered

Northeastern University

Considered

Northwestern University

Considered

Oberlin College

Considered

Occidental College

Considered

Oregon State University

Considered

Pitzer College

Considered

Providence College

Considered

Purdue University

Considered

Rhodes College

Considered

Rice University

Considered

Rochester Institute of Technology

Considered

Saint Joseph’s University

Considered

Saint Louis University

Considered

Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame

Considered

Santa Clara University

Considered

Sarah Lawrence College

Considered

Sewanee: University of the South

Considered

Simmons College

Considered

Southern Methodist University

Considered

Southwestern University

Considered

Spelman College

Considered

St. Olaf College

Considered

Stevens Institute of Technology

Considered

Stony Brook University – SUNY

Considered

Swarthmore College

Considered

Texas A&M University

Considered

Trinity University

Considered

Tufts University

Considered

Tulane University

Considered

Union College

Considered

United States Coast Guard Academy

Considered

University of Central Florida

Considered

University of Chicago

Considered

University of Colorado Boulder

Considered

University of Delaware

Considered

University of Denver

Considered

University of Florida

Considered

University of Miami

Considered

University of Michigan

Considered

University of Missouri, Columbia

Considered

University of North Carolina – Charlotte

Considered

University of North Carolina – Wilmington

Considered

University of North Texas

Considered

University of Notre Dame

Considered

University of Oklahoma

Considered

University of Pennsylvania

Considered

University of Pittsburgh

Considered

University of Portland

Considered

University of Puget Sound

Considered

University of Rhode Island

Considered

University of Richmond

Considered

University of Rochester

Considered

University of San Diego

Considered

University of Texas at Austin

Considered

University of Vermont

Considered

University of Wisconsin

Considered

Ursinus College

Considered

Villanova University

Considered

Virginia Tech

Considered

Wake Forest University

Considered

Washington & Jefferson College

Considered

Washington and Lee University

Considered

Washington University in St. Louis

Considered

Wellesley College

Considered

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Considered

Wheaton College

Considered

Whitman College

Considered

Whittier College

Considered

William & Mary

Considered

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Considered

Xavier University

Considered

Yeshiva University

Considered

 

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