We often tell students that the college process is a holistic review of their lives, their journeys, and their goals, focusing on the four years of high school. It’s an evaluation designed to assess where students are and where they’ll have the opportunity to thrive going forward. Initially, this process is in the hands of the college admissions committees. They are the evaluators.
And, while most of us focus on the educational aspect of college, it’s vital to acknowledge that college is a business. They are institutions balancing revenue, branding, and outcomes while delivering an educational “product.” Tuition, housing, and applications function as primary income streams, while rankings, marketing, and campus amenities are used to attract students and their families. Colleges must make strategic decisions about everything from pricing, positioning, and long-term growth to choosing their students. Therefore, this business mindset plays a role in admissions decisions.
As a result, for students, the college process must involve more than grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities.
Over the past year, colleges went “old school” – back to the pre-pandemic days during which many colleges and universities, especially the smaller and mid-sized schools, tracked “demonstrated interest.” So, more than ever, demonstrating interest at students’ top choice colleges can make a marked difference.
What exactly is “demonstrated interest?” Why is it so important to colleges? And, how can students demonstrate it?
What is “demonstrated interest?”
Demonstrated interest is exactly what it sounds like. It is the way in which students show a college that they’re paying attention to them, passionate about attending their school, and genuinely interested and excited about everything the school has to offer.
At schools like Washington University in St. Louis, Wake Forest University, and smaller liberal arts colleges, demonstrated interest can play a meaningful role in admissions decisions. These and other schools want to commit to students who are most likely to enroll, and they watch their applicants for signs of, well, demonstrated interest.
We know – your student called admissions offices, and they were told that they don’t track interest. We get these calls all the time.
Well, there’s a murky area with this one. If a school has two extremely similar candidates, and one of those candidates demonstrated interest, the admissions department will look more favorably upon the candidate who demonstrated interest.
Why is demonstrated interest important in the college admissions process?
For colleges and universities, yield – the percentage of accepted students who actually attend – matters. Colleges are running a business. If students show genuine interest in attending a school, it can work in your favor. Whether or not the school states that they officially track demonstrated interest.
Students who demonstrate interest, who prove that they are taking the time to learn about the school, to ask questions, to engage, are more likely to engage within the college community if they’re admitted. In fact, admissions officers often suggest that the students who take the time to really get to know the school tend to be the most successful students on campus.
Furthermore, students who demonstrate interest are showing initiative. They are demonstrating an intent to attend a particular college or university. Going beyond the process of submitting an application by connecting, exploring, and asking thoughtful questions makes a marked difference to admissions committees.
How can students demonstrate interest?
Demonstrating interest should be intentional.
While campus visits are a great way to demonstrate interest, college administrators recognize that not every student can make the financial investment necessary to visit schools. “When I was applying to Wash U, I went down to visit twice and met with my regional rep during the second visit,” notes one New York City public school student.
If students can’t make the trip, they can take the time to do virtual tours and information sessions. Another way to “visit” colleges of interest is to show up to their local presentations.
Engaging online is another impactful way to demonstrate interest in a college or university. Open every email that a college sends. Click on the links in the email. Follow colleges and universities on Instagram. Just like students want people to pay attention to their posts, colleges want to know that students are interested…and watching them. These simple tasks can demonstrate interest to a school, which can impact their decision-making process.
Ultimately, demonstrated interest is the extra effort that students can initiate to supplement their applications. It’s the few additional steps that highlight students who are willing to go above and beyond the application process. And, it helps students learn more about the schools on their list, a process that will hopefully help them find a right fit college.
For more information about other ways to intentionally demonstrate interest and find a right fit college, contact GAMECHANGERTUTORING.COM.
