Show Them the Love: Demonstrated Interest Key Part of College Admissions

Everyone knows that it is a good idea to visit a college and take a campus tour, but did you know that colleges track these visits and much more as part of their formal admissions assessment? Colleges are looking for students with strong DI: Demonstrated Interest. With so many students applying to so many colleges and universities via the Common Application, it is increasingly difficult for admissions officers to know the difference between real and phantom applicants (ie. your parents made you apply, or you applied at the last minute because your best friend applied, etc.,). There are only so many golden acceptance tickets to give out and savvy admissions professionals want to make offers only to those students who are serious about attending their college. So they use data analytics and other sophisticated tools to gauge the interest of every applicant and this can be a crucial factor in their admissions decision. So how do you show colleges the love so that they take your application seriously?

Here are FYF's top tips to demonstrate interest:

       1. Speak to the College's Admissions Rep at College Fairs. Introduce yourself, get to know them, take their card, and follow up with an email.

       2. Take a Campus Tour.

       3. Schedule an Interview, on-campus or via Skype, then, ask to attend a class or shadow a student for a day or even inquire about staying overnight in one of the dorms.

       4. If you can't make it to a campus (and even if you can), Tufts University admissions officer Meghan McHale Dangremond suggests visiting each college's website, blog, departmental links, virtual tour, and newspaper. Email a professor of current student to get more in-depth and detailed information about programs and opportunities there.

       5. Do your homework. Learn all you can about prominent alumni who have attended that university, read up about new initiatives and projects on their news feed, follow the school on Twitter and Facebook, and read sample supplemental essays written by former applicants.

      6. Nail the "Why X College" essay. This is an act of seduction, a bit like explaining why you are interested in someone you are asking to the prom or on a date. Don't be generic or vague. Don't tell them you want to go there because it's located in a cool city or because you like their basketball team. These may be real factors in your decision but they don't make a strong case that you are a fit for them and they are a specific fit for you. You need to connect something that you are passionate about with something that they offer. This is what makes a good college fit and demonstrates not only your interest in the school, but gives them a reason to be interested in you.