How to Demonstrate Interest and the Colleges That Value Demonstrated Interest the Most

The college application process can often feel like solving a complex puzzle—one with no key to follow and whose solution or solutions differ depending on who is doing the solving. However, the puzzle is less complex when applicants are able to see the process through the lens of the puzzle makers, aka, the college admissions officers.

Almost every college places the greatest emphasis on an applicants grades, followed closely behind by the rigor of their courses (essentially, do they choose to take challenging courses in areas of strength when those classes are made available or do they choose the easier path to pad their GPA). Secondary characteristics include ACT and SAT test scores, which are showing signs of rebounding in value as the pandemic moves further behind us, an applicants resume, any notable achievements, letters of recommendation, and the more ambiguous concept of demonstrated interest.

Demonstrated interest refers to the way an applicant shows a college that they are interested in attending said college. One of the most important factors in college rankings (which are, frankly, absurd) is the percentage of students who get into a college who then choose to attend the college. The higher that percentage, the higher the colleges are typically ranked. In order to assure a higher percentage, colleges track how "interested" a student is in attending their school. As a result, smart applicants need to tailor their time and their applications in a way that shows demonstrated interest—even if they are only mildly interested in attending a specific school.

Here's how to do show colleges you're into them:

1) Sign up for the colleges email and/or mailing list.

2) Open the emails and click on any links they include (yes, many schools track these interactions)

3) Follow the colleges on social media and like/comment on their posts

4) If possible, visit the college for an official tour. Get the tour guide's email and thank them for their time. If you can't visit the campus, sign up for a virtual tour.

5) If possible, schedule either an admissions or an alumni interview. Make sure to thank the interviewer in a follow up email.

6) Find out who the admissions rep is for your region. Reach out to them by email and find out if they will be visiting your school or region. If they do, make sure to be there to meet with them in person. And again, send them a thank you email.

7) These are just a few examples. Reach our to our team for more guidance on how to demonstrate interest to your top colleges!