Local admission sessions

Does attending a local admissions session or consortium event “count” for showing interest in a school, or must a student also visit the campus? Travel expenses are adding up!

Northwestern definitely tracks interest for local sessions. CMU also did, but from what I understand they don’t do it anymore. Georgia Tech apparently does too even though my kid didn’t apply there.

For colleges that do track attendance at local events, does that count the same (for demonstrated interest purposes) as attending an info session/tour on the actual campus? I’m speaking of schools that care about demonstrated interest and are known to factor into admission decisions.

C received an email thanking for attending the local session, so it was tracked. I’m wondering if that’s enough to tick the box for admissions. These are reachy schools that would require airfare, hotel, etc. to visit, so I would rather put off an in-person visit until admission decisions come out. But, does NOT making the trip beforehand count against C?

Yes it does and sometimes can count against you not to show. My one kid got a very pointed note from admissions telling him exactly where, when the DOA was going to be in our area and that she hoped to see him there.

Local sessions definitely count as demonstrated interest (as do local alumni interviews if they are available). Most colleges do not expect visits from students who are not in drive-able distance – that is why they hold these type of events.

If a school does not care about DI, then they don’t care.
We attended two local sessions, one from Yale, another Chicago. Neither tracked to see whether we did show up.