<p>My guess it’s a tipping point with colleges that consider interest. If they want you they will admit. If it gets to the point where they have a fist full of qualified applicants and they are looking for differential my guess is they would favor those that have shown interest in some way which could include correspondence, visits, a particularly focused essay, etc. That’s simple human nature and simple good business.</p>
<p>I forgot to say, unless you are an outstanding applicant they couldn’t turn down :). Congratulations, your stats must be pretty amazing (no sarcasm here).</p>
<p>I was accepted at several schools I never visited.</p>
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<p>So was my daughter. The same thing with Amherst. Pomona College has an interesting approach. They offer optional interviews. If you live locally and do not interview, they take that into consideration. They say if you live within reasonable distance, you should show your interest by visiting and interviewing or it might hurt your application. They don’t expect it if you live further away. I think most colleges understand that applicants who live far away might not have the opportunity to visit. But if you live fairly close, make the effort.</p>
<p>The larger schools do not seem to care. Nor do some of the most selective schools. I think Oldfort has it down pat. The small schools do care. When my son applied to some smaller schools that were not that selective, his counselors still urged him to visit, because it has happened that if proper demonstrated interest is not shown, even kids who should consider those schools as safeties could be denied.</p>
<p>I would not think Purdue or UTexas would care about a visit. I know a bunch of kids who applied to Purdue without visiting it and they were all accepted. I know nothing about UT, but isn’t it a huge school?</p>
<p>Colleges that have a 30% or lower acceptance rate do not expect applicants to visit. If students do visit, they tend to be part of large groups. The visit will get you on the mailing list for the school (if you sign in) but it is not going to lead the school to start a file on you. Those that have a 60% or higher acceptance rate do expect visits to demonstrate interest. For the low acceptance rate colleges, the interview (typically an alum interview because you are not visiting the campus) is important for demonstrating interest. The interview will not be a reason to turn you down; however, it can be one factor contributing to acceptance. For low acceptance schools visit days for accepted students are often the first time a student sets foot on campus; these visits are crucial for students to make up their minds where they actually want to go. Most college books have the acceptance rates listed.</p>
<p>Actually “level of interest” is more important after you have been waitlisted. My friends D who showered the school adcom with letters, rec. and portfolios each week, she actually got off the waitlist.</p>
<p>Many students postpone the visits until they know where they had been accepted. From my (limited!) experience, it seems that not visiting MAY count against you, especially at smaller schools, if you live within 3hrs or so driving distance from the school. No school EXPECTS you to be able to fly out for a visit, unless they are inviting you, and paying your way (which does not happen often, unless you are URM)</p>
<p>UT-Austin does not care about interest. They care about academic achievement – primarily class rank – and personal achievement. Their guidelines are mostly determined by the state.</p>
<p>Schools that worry about demonstrated interest are concerned about their yield (ie., percentage of admitted students who attend). I can’t imagine that Princeton or Columbia are much worried about this.</p>