Demonstrated interest is a measurement colleges use to determine how interested a student is in attending their school. Why is it important for colleges to admit students who are truly interested in attending their institution? It all comes down to yield rate. This is the percentage of students admitted that actually enroll and attend the college. Colleges don’t want to admit students that they don’t think will enroll, even if they are highly qualified.
The absolute best way to show interest in a college is to visit the campus and book an official tour. It is especially important to visit in person if the college is within a 4-6 hour drive of your home. If you are unable to visit in person, make sure to attend a virtual event.
If you can’t visit a campus in person, here are some other things you can do to show demonstrated interest:
- Complete an online information request
- Follow a school on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
- Email the admissions representative responsible for your area
- If the admissions representative visits your high school, make sure you attend the presentation
- Click on the links in the emails you receive from the college
Demonstrating interest within your application can be done by spending time on the “why us or why this college” essay. We work with our students on the best strategies for this essay in addition to focusing on the structure.
You’re probably wondering if all colleges consider demonstrated interest when evaluating candidates? The answer is no. The colleges that don’t consider demonstrated interest tend to be more selective and many will explicitly state this on their website.
Here’s a link to Stanford’s statement on demonstrated interest: “Stanford does not track demonstrated interest as part of the admission process. Engagement through our programming is optional and will not be part of the review of your application.”
We work with our students to make sure they demonstrate interest in every college they apply to, even if it’s not possible to visit in person.