Colleges nationwide are cognizant of the fact that high school students, utilizing the Common App (which is accepted by more than 1,000 institutions), can easily apply to a multitude of schools. As high school seniors ultimately will enroll in only one college, it becomes a guessing game as to which school each applicant will choose.
Since many colleges have multi-billion-dollar budgets, it’s important to them to identify which students would likely enroll, and pay tuition, if accepted. The way for a student to get their attention is to show “demonstrated interest” – indicating that the college is special and is likely to be the applicant’s top choice.
There are a multitude of ways to show demonstrated interest. One of the most important is to visit colleges under consideration, signing in at the Admissions Office and taking the official tour. There is a spot on the Common App whereby each college asks if the applicant has visited and, if so, the month and year of the tour. When students apply to colleges within a few hours of home, and never took the time to visit, admissions staff are hesitant to believe that their institution is truly a top choice.
Another way for students to show demonstrated interest is to sign up for visits, at their high school, by the representatives of the colleges they are considering. Students should introduce themselves, ask a relevant question or two, and express interest in attending the college. These representatives are often the very same admissions officers who will ultimately decide whether or not the student is admitted.
When students receive emails from colleges under consideration, they should open the emails promptly, click through to the links, and keep it open for a lengthy period of time. More than 1,800 colleges in the U.S. utilize the services of Technolutions, a software surveillance company. It informs colleges of the amount of time it took students to open the college’s email, whether or not they clicked through to the links, and how long they spent on the site. In short, it tracks demonstrated interest.
Students can also show demonstrated interest by personalizing their Common App essay, informing each college of the specific reasons it would be the ideal institution for their college years.
By letting colleges know that you have taken the time to learn about their academic, extracurricular, and social offerings, you can greatly increase the odds of being invited to attend their institution.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362
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