So I’ve heard lots of schools are starting to care more and more about students showing interest via multiple visits or sitting in on classes and I even saw on a William and Mary board that they really like seeing students email admissions.
That way it keeps your name fresh in admissions minds and shows dedication and the like. And I know lots of schools are increasingly caring about character as well which I’ve been told this can help with.
So should I contact schools I’m interested in with questions frequently? If so, how frequently do you think would be good? Any other suggestions for those reach schools that you think I can do to help my admissions?
Emailing admissions officers frequently will just get on their nerves and could hurt your chances. This is especially true if you ask questions that can be answered on their website or in their viewbook.
Schools that like to see student interest still wouldn’t want their poor staff having to reply to multiple emails from the same applicant. If you contact admissions, please be sure to have a valid reason, such as a question that is not easily answerable by looking at the college website.
It’s okay to email your local rep to introduce yourself and to ask a legitimate question (e.g., will they be conducting any interviews in your area or whether it might be possible to meet him/her if you are planning a visit). Do NOT waste their time unnecessarily and do NOT ask any questions that can be answered on the website. High reach schools (HYPS and the like) don’t take demonstrated interest into account.
Keep in mind that admissions officers are very busy and are not looking for extra things to read. Do email if you want to ask a specific question that cannot be answered by looking at the school’s website. Do not email to just say hi and do not email frequently (as that will be more annoying then helpful).
For schools that track demonstrated interest you can do things like: visit, get on the mailing list, interview (if offered), participate in any online sessions (if offered), work hard on any college-specific essays, visiting the school’s booth at a local college fair (if available) etc. The ultimate expression of interest is applying ED but that is not right for everyone.
I disagree with some of these comments. I emailed admissions with various inquiries over the course of my application process, and found that being in touch with my officers was very helpful. This especially helps at small schools. I kept in touch with my counselors and was admitted to fifteen top schools. Don’t contact frequently, but it’s good to show interest with legitimate questions every once in a while.
Schools care that you show a little bit of interest, at least. They don’t want to feel like you tossed in the application at the last minute. Get on the school mailing list. Visit if you can, but multiple visits are NOT required. I doubt they care whether you attended a class or not (although my kids liked to do that to get a flavor for the school, but they didn’t do it because admissions cares). If they have an event in your area, go to it if you can. If they come to your high school or a college fair you attend, be sure to stop in and chat with them, and sign in at the table at college fairs.
Don’t email admissions unless you have a REAL question that can’t be answered on the website. And admissions officers can smell a fake question a mile away. Regional admissions officers also change a lot, and the websites are often not updated. I think my kids sent ONE email to most of the admissions offices where they applied. They sent it in early to mid February (to the RD non-rolling admissions colleges) with updates on EC accomplishments and asking that admissions consider that information with their applications. They sent it to the main admissions email at each college, since the reps are out of their minds busy at that time and you can’t count on them answering emails, but the main admissions email usually does get handled correctly.
Yeah, the adcoms are so stupid that the kids sending obviously scripted letters that don’t reflect real questions are the ones they admit first. It is so easy to play them!!
Or maybe you shouldn’t believe everything you read.
Lol, the smart ones don’t believe the random stuff they hear. Keep that in mind, OP.
“Schools care that you show a little bit of interest, at least.” Yes.
But bear in mind, that’s not as simple as visits and emails. They review your app and supp. That’s where you have to nail it. Don’t assume contact replaces real, true match. And that’s more than stats or dreams.
I think that largely depends on the school. Some colleges report that they really do not care about your interest. Others (oftentimes, those with early decision options) openly state that they take your interest into the consideration. For instance, American University seems to look at your interest - they want you to interview, take tours, reach out, etc. From my experience, I’d also say that Brandeis and Bentley care quite much as well. And from what I’ve seen, public colleges (including W&M) do not pay attention to your demonstrated interest.
Also, if you do reach out, make sure to ask good questions - not just those that can easily be answered by a college’s website. Interviews might be a better way to show your interest, so interview if there is such opportunity. Even if you cannot come to campus in person, most of colleges offer phone and Skype interviews. Also, interviews with alumni.
Look at the Common Data Set for the college and see if “Level of Applicant’s Interest” in section C7 is Important or Considered.
But really, only ask a question if you have a real question.
@collegebound7789 I don’t think you truly are disagreeing with others. Yes, you said you emailed admissions several times - but with legitimate questions. That’s what the other posters in this thread are trying to emphasize - don’t email and ask things like “does your school have this major”, which should be easy to find on any school’s website. It’s perfectly fine to email with questions that aren’t easily answered on the web site.
The point is not to avoid emailing admissions - the point is to make it meaningful, rather than sending in a weekly easily answered question just to “stay at the top of admissions’s mind”.
And I agree this can be much more important at a small school. S applied to a few small schools, and the one he ended up at called him every couple of weeks to see if he had any questions for them! The admissions officer there was key in his going to visit the school - and once he visited he knew he wanted to attend. I sent a note to her manager about how much her personal touch meant. It works both ways…
It’s when a student sends in an application via common app without ever having visited, signed up for an email list, requested info, spoken with a rep at a college fair, attended an on-line discussion, or showed any other signs of interest in the school that schools believe they’re being used as a safety and might not offer admissions.