HELP! I know Penn takes demonstrated interest into account. For example taking tours. I have signed up for a couple but have ended up not being able to attend.
Do admissions officers check simply if you signed up for a tour or if you were ACTUALLY THERE???
Going on a tour will not be a deciding factor in admissions. Don’t worry about it. The only real demonstrated interest that Penn takes into account will be ED and other hooks (esp. legacy and potential donors).
If you have certifiable interest in Penn, it will show in your supplement.
If it doesn’t, then no campus visit will make up for it.
That’s really all you need to know.
How many schools are you applying to?
like 8
Okay so I just transferred into Penn. They state that a visit will NOT be taken into account, but I visited and was accepted, and many of the people in my transfer group had visited as well. But that’s my anecdotal nonsense lol and you shouldn’t worry about it. Focus on crafting your essays, which ARE important!!
They have you sign in when you go for a tour. I believe that they take it into account. Maybe it is not a large part of the process, but I do believe that it could potentially be a tie-breaker with someone that has never visited…
They told us on the tour that they don’t keep track of your going on a tour at all for admission. They also said don’t bother emailing them w thank you etc bc that also isn’t looked at as they are so busy … not sure where you heard that they use tour or demonstrated interest as a factor but call them just to be sure
Penn states directly, on their website and when you show up for a tour, that they don’t even keep track of whether you go on a tour with them.
That said, there is a bit of speaking out of both sides of their mouths going on with this—at the Penn info session I went to with my oldest, everyone was told that they should mention their tour in their “Why Penn?” essay.
So there’s that.
I think they mean that you should see things and have conversations on your tour that will be good to include. In general, very specific “Why College X” essays get the best results, at Penn or anyplace else.
Many applicants cannot visit Penn.
As I see it Penn tries to level the playing field. I don’t think the visit is going to be a factor. But the key word here is think - I do not know!
My guide had a sign in list when we went in April. I do believe that they reward people that show demonstrated interest to some extent, if not a very large one. I do not know if they truly pay attention to how many times you visit, but if you make it clear to them that you have visited multiple times in your supplement, I certainly do not think that it will hurt you…