Other than campus visits/info sessions/college fairs, what are some ways to demonstrate interest in colleges?
An interview? An overnight visit with attendance in a class? An ED application? Really, anything sincere that will help you in choosing your best match will be likely to be interpreted by colleges as a valuable indicator of your level of interest. Too bad people game this though . . .
Applying early decision, emailing your AO with thoughtful questions, opening emails and clicking on the links in them.
Also not every college cares about demonstrated interest. I’d recommend you look at the common data set for any school you are interested in (google "common data set XYZ university) and check section C to determine if demonstrated interest is part of that school’s criteria.
In general the best way to demonstrate interest is to apply ED if that is doable for you. There are tons of posts on CC detailing ways to demonstrate interest – if you do a search you can easily find them.
Older thread on the subject: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1626043-ways-to-show-a-high-level-of-applicants-interest.html
If they are emailing you and providing links for further information, there’s a good chance they’re tracking whether you open the email, whether you click the links provided, and how much time you spend researching the school.
As noted - make sure the school even cares.
The first thing you need to do is google " Common Data Set" and
then look in Section C7: Relative importance of each of the following academic and nonacademic factors in first-time, firstyear,degree-seeking (freshman) admission decisions.
Then look at “Level of applicant’s interest”
Is it Very Important, Important, Considered, or Not Considered?
Ivy Leagues, e.g. Yale, may not consider interest or only “consider” it because they think “of course you want to come here”. Big schools may not track it because there are too many students.
It is often the private schools that give it more weight.
Here are some ways to show interest:
+Sign up for information
+Take a tour/Go to open house if possible.
+Attend a college fair and talk to the admissions counselor/alumni. They will have a method for you to share your information.
+Attend a High School visit if the college visits your HS
+Attend a regional information session if offered
+Sign up for an interview in the fall of your senior year if you can’t make it to campus if offered
+Contact the admissions counselor in your area
+Read emails the college sends you (yes, colleges can tell if you have opened the email)
+Asking questions not answered on website or in this forum to the admissions people
Telegrams stand out. Also billboards. And airplanes towing long message pennants.
Then double back and do the things above: visit, open email, send your test scores more than once, meet with their rep if they come to your school, contact them with specific questions about things you want to know (eg band tryout policy, contacting coaches, meeting prof in a dept, etc).
Keep in mind this is more a tie-breaker than a deal-breaker, but if it comes down to late March with two very similar folders on the table you don’t want to be the one with nothing more than your Common App and an ACT score. Show them you care.