I planned to visit this school over the summer since its one of the top schools i want to attend… But my schedule doesnt allow me to so i cannot visit. How can i show my the admissions officers that i genuinely do have interest in this school w/out visiting?
We found the Admissions Office personnel to be very responsive and friendly. One thing my daughter did that worked out well was to find out from Admissions the name and contact info for the rep assigned to her high school. She then contacted the rep directly to ask whether she was planning to be either at her school or nearby on a recruiting visit. She made plans to meet her at that time and got an opportunity to talk a bit. Wash U seemed to appreciate kids who take it upon themselves to make themselves known without being obnoxious about it.
My daughter was accepted and we made the effort to go to a local event on a Sunday night last fall. Then she also reconnected with the same rep when she came to her school. Good luck!
In reflection of my application process, I think that what helped me the most was applying for their scholarships. Not only does it demonstrate a certain level of interest, it is also a way for you to speak more about yourself – especially important because Wash U’s lack of supplementary essays. I personally didn’t visit or write any emails to the admissions office (they could only help). I did, however, apply for their Medical Scholars program, which is, again, another form of demonstrated interest. I hope this helps.
Admissions officers travel all around the country in the fall. Generally they have a session at a local hotel and also visit schools. You should be able to find the information on the website (might not be there yet because they may not have scheduled all the visits yet). I have volunteered at these events and they definitely do keep track of who attends. Plus they are very informative. Make sure you sign up at your school if they visit. You can find out the admission person assigned to your area and sent them an e-mail with a question and let them know how interested you are. The schools realizes that some students cannot afford to travel to visit a school or have time constraints like you.