<p>I read somewhere that for Washington University in St. Louis, you need to demonstrate interest in the school somehow to be admitted. Is this true? If so, what can I do?</p>
<p>Going to visit would be a good start.</p>
<p>^ Yeah I heard WashU cares a LOT about visits.</p>
<p>I'll be visiting during Spring Break, which I think is too late for admissions.</p>
<p>And does anyone know if that claim is TRUE?</p>
<p>When I went to an information session, that's what the guy told me.</p>
<p>State in your application that you're visiting in the spring.</p>
<p>The 'expressed interest' part coincides kind of with the "why this college" type of question. How can you be so sure you'll fit in there if you have never visited? They want a student body who are excited to be there, more so than one that has never visited and may waver. I am not saying you are this second type of person, but I believe this is the reason why it is much more to your benefit to visit the campus of a college sooner, and why I don't believe you should count your potential visit in the spring as "expressing interest".</p>
<p>I hope that makes a degree of logical sense..</p>
<p>^
I'm interested mostly because a) kids from my school have been admitted before, and I know it's a match and b) they've told me I'd love it. And I'm kind of like them. </p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, neethus1. </p>
<p>Lastly, I think it's ridiculous for a visit to a college to be THE way to express interest in an institution. I have no time to visit until spring because of things like school and ECs and, I don't know, rest from school. Secondly, it's not like I can just pull money out of thin air for plane tickets. It's understandable why colleges would like applicants to visit, but still... I thought people knew the nation's in an economic crisis?</p>
<p>If it's your top choice, make sure your interviewer and GC know that, and have your GC put it in their rec (only to WashU, of course) or send a note to the school. Make sure they know you're visiting later. </p>
<p>They understand if you can't visit. And it is not the only way. I never visited the school I got into early (granted, they don't always track visits, but still...). Just make sure they know you're interested.</p>
<p>^
Thanks for the advice! It is definitely not my top choice, though, I've already told my GC and teachers.</p>
<p>Then you honestly might have a slight problem. I don't know what your stats are, but WashU seems (SEEMS, I am not speaking definitely) to waitlist students whom they think are using the university as a backup or a Plan B. If it's not your top choice, it shouldn't matter whether you get into this one school or not, right? Just send the application, noting that finances or whatever are tight and you're planning to visit in the spring.</p>
<p>^
The issue is more of money. I'm applying because they have merit scholarships and it's not a bad school, either. So it's neither a top choice nor a backup. </p>
<p>The waitlist thing worries me a bit - I've heard of it, it's why I didn't apply to Tufts - because I have a 2390, state/national writing awards and I'm taking the most difficult course schedule at my school... BUT my GPA has weak parts (science and math). So I don't think of WUSTL as a backup, necessarily.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice, Baelor.</p>
<p>wustl is definitely not a back up for anyone.</p>
<p>^the only person from our high school who was admitted last year, never visited.....had no idea about Wash U until after admittance....so much for demonstrated interest......</p>
<p>
[quote]
wustl is definitely not a back up for anyone.
[/quote]
It's not a sure thing for anyone, but it is a school that many people would rank on their list of preferences after Ivy's, Stanford, etc. WUSTL is extremely sensitive to this and hates accepting kids applying to places like those; if any of the others accept the kid goes there, if none do you get a kid who may have a chip on their shoulder who thinks he is "settling" for one of her/his lower-ranked choices.</p>
<p>^ Exactly.</p>
<p>It definitely IS a backup for top-notch students who want to get into HYPSM or similar schools. From what I've seen, for these kids there are "stretches" and "back-ups" (matches and safeties combined). In other words, anything that is not HYPS is somewhat of a back-up. That is what I meant. And those are the kids WUSTL is wary of accepting from the students I know and the admissions statistics available. If this is incorrect, then of course you shouldn't listen to me!</p>