For some colleges, demonstrated interest is really important in college admission decisions; they want to know who is enthusiastic about attending their school. Read on to learn more about expressing demonstrated interest and potentially increasing your risk of admission.
Tracking Demonstrated Interest (DI)
First off, let’s talk a little about the ways colleges track DI. Unlike GPA and test scores, demonstrated interest is a little bit tougher to measure. For schools that measure DI, there are a few things they pay attention to:
-Number of campus visits
-Expressed interest at a college fair
-Completion of supplemental essays
-Meetings with alumni
-Participation in overnight programs
-Admissions interviews
Now, what can you do?
Explore the schools that measure DI
This is very important. Make sure the school actually tracks demonstrated interest. Not all schools incorporate DI into their admissions decisions. It’s important that you only put forth the extra effort for the colleges that will notice.
Create a small list of schools you want to show DI
Express interest only in the schools you are serious about attending. It would be a waste of time and energy to go the extra mile for a school you don’t really want to attend.
Do the small stuff
There are ways you can express enthusiasm that take no time at all.
-Sign up for your school’s emails, open the emails, and click something inside.
-Follow the college on social media and engage that way.
-Write thank you notes and emails to faculty or admissions counselors you’ve spoken with.
Apply Early Decision or Early Action
Keep in mind, applying Early Decision means that you are required to attend if accepted to that university. Early Action is not a binding application, but it will show that you were interested enough to submit your application early.
Don’t do anything
If the thought of adding demonstrated interest to your to-do list stresses you out, don’t even worry about it. Luckily, factors like campus visits and admissions interviews are already natural parts of narrowing down your college search. You may not even have to do anything extra to let a college know you’re eager to attend.
Remember, when in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask the admission office if demonstrated interest is used in their admission decisions!