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<p>However, the assumption that a student who applies is not interested unless s/he plays the “interest” game may be misguided. After all, merely applying to a school is a demonstration of “interest”*. Back when I was in high school applying to colleges, I would have been fine attending the least selective school on my list, even though I had done nothing with that school that would today be part of the “interest” game.</p>
<p>*Even those who do “shotgun” applications to lots of California public universities tend to have some preferences which are reflected in the schools that choose to apply and not apply to.</p>