I have been lurking on this site for over a year, and I usually look at Results/Final Decision threads. Something I noticed amongst the people who got accepted into selective universities is that they state that they “showed interest.” I am a rising junior, so I’m pretty oblivious to the college application process, and I don’t really understand what it means to show interest. Could someone provide more information/examples of what that means?
Start by looking at the common data set filing of the schools you are thinking about to see if they even care about demonstrated interest. The most selective colleges often do not; they know that if they accept you that you will give them serious consideration. It’s often the next category of schools, the ones many kids would turn down if they got into a more prestigious school, that care. They know a lot of their applicants are also applying to their more prestigious cousins and they want to make see they are not just an afterthought.
Demonstrating interest is as simple as visiting the college if it isn’t too expensive to do so, or attend their information session if there is one in the area. if you have an interview on campus or with an alum have some questions that show you’ve given real thought to attending the school and have questions that aren’t already answered on their website.Do not hound the admission office or some professor with emails. If you have a genuine question not answered on their website then you can email admissions but you need to take what you read here posted by HS kids with a grain of salt. You’ll see kids that think Adcoms want to be in regular contact with them as if they’ve become their little buddy, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
@What mikemac said. 1) visit, if possible and 2) interview if they offer these. Many schools have alumni interviewers all over the country. My kids went to many of these in coffee shops and ice cream parlors.
Before you interview, read the school’s website and learn as much as you can so that you don’t ask stupid questions that you could easily answer yourself by doing a little homework.
And that’s it!
What @mikemac said. 1) visit if you can afford it, or at least meet with a local admissions rep. 2) interview. Many schools have alumni interviewers all over the country. My kids did many of these in coffee shops and ice cream parlors. Before you interview, read the school’s website so that you don’t ask stupid questions you could easily answer yourself by doing some basic research.
Another way to show interest is to write the optional essay, if there is one.
What @TomSrOfBoston said. Few HS students realize that these “optional” essays are often there as a measure of your interest. When they ask you to "Tell us about spiders (University of Richmond) or "Write a note to your roomate (Stanford) they mostly want to gauge how much effort you put into it. That’s why they are offbeat; they want to make sure you can’t reuse something you’ve already written. If its as polished as your standard essays and shows thought & care, you are interested in the school. If you skip it or send in something you just dashed off, that says something too.
Applying Early Decision or Early Action shows interest.
If there is a college fair in your area, you can stop at College X’s table, introduce yourself, personally express your interest, and sign whatever type roster they may have.
My daughter would like to visit and tour a college where she knows a couple people, but she would rather have her friends show her places instead of going on the tour provided by admissions or going to the info session. Is there a recommended way to show that she did visit and tour the campus, or should she just do the admissions tour and session? Common data indicates that this school does not consider interest, but can this make a difference in a highly selective program within the college? My D did talk at length to a representative from the college at a college fair recently. We obviously just want to give her the best possible chance of admission.
If you don’t trust the material they publish, then only an insider in the admissions office can answer your question. Maybe one is reading this forum and will answer, but I’d guess the odds are slim. Especially since you didn’t name the college.
Another way to “show interest” for a high stat student is to not withdraw your application after being deferred EA.
“Show interest” is more than doing something so they would check the box. It is also how it reveals in your application. You can visit the campus, apply early, email the adcom, etc, but if your essay shows you know little about that school, you do not really show your interest. Typical problems include using generic why this school essay or refer to a major/program with a wrong name. Many applicants with above 75% stat got deferred or rejected because of that.