So I know that showing interest in colleges is important, especially if they are local. I am applying to 18 schools and really do not want to visit them until I get in. So I signed up to visit all of them but am not planning to actually do so. Do you think they will realize I wasn’t actually there or just see I was in the system and take that as me showing interest? Thanks
How are you planning to see 18 schools between the time acceptances go out and the time deposits are due???
And I’m guessing that signing up, but not showing up, won’t count as “showing interest.”
Go visit a lot of them asap so u can eliminate the amount of schools you are applying too
Signing up for a visit and not showing up might well be worse than showing no interest at all. You can show interest in ways as simple as putting you name on the school’s email list. There are sign in sheets/cards at campus visits so admissions will know if you show up for your appointment or not. Out of courtesy to others who want to visit and could be closed out because you are taking a spot you have no intention of filling and to not harm your reputation at the college, I’d strongly suggest that you cancel appointment at schools you do not plan to actually visit.
And 18 schools seems a bit much IMO. But try to visit the schools you care most about and leave the rest for when you know if you get in.
Well, I’ll get into a lot less than 18, so I’m not worried about that. I’m just worried about the demonstrating interest component of the application. How do I do so without having to travel around and visit 18 schools? I simply don’t have any time to do so. I visited Tufts just to show interest, and when I got there I realized that they never did ‘attendance’ and so it didn’t matter that I actually went. Was this an exception?
How do I go on a school’s mailing list?
Does your school use naviance?
yes
Theres an option when you click on the school to request information
My daughter signed up to attend a campus tour at UMich. When we actually went for the tour she checked in at the desk. I’m pretty sure if we had not done this, and had just gone straight to the presentation and walking tour it would not have indicated interest at all.
Then again, I’m not sure what really counts as ‘showing interest’, like asking for the school to send you material. Does that count? It might at some schools. We’ve emailed a couple of admissions counselors to ask when they were visiting the area. Does this count? Who knows. Either way, I think applying to 18 is kinda kooky. Good luck!
A few comments…
—Not every school cares about demonstrated interest. Check the common data set for each school on your list and see which do care. Many schools don’t count demonstrated interest in the application review process.
—Every visit I’ve been to with both of my kids has had some kind of a sign in sheet or form. I think the one visit where no attendance list was taken is a not the norm. Agree with happy1 that signing up and not showing up won’t help your case.
–It is rude to take up a spot you don’t plan on showing up for. Cancel the ones you won’t go to so another student who wants to attend will get that chance.
–If you don’t live near a school it is not unusual for a student to not visit until accepted.
–Other ways to demonstrate interest include: asking for an interview with a local alumni, getting on the mailing list, emailing the admissions officer if you have a question that isn’t answered on the website, if there is a college fair near you try to go – they can be kind of crazy busy/crowded but you can see a bunch of schools and sign in at their tables.
Some schools explicitly don’t track attendance at their tours (e.g., the University of Pennsylvania), but the norm is to do so, even for schools that don’t track applicant interest, presumably at least largely so that they can get historical demand data for their tours and staff them appropriately.
For all the 5 schools my D visited a couple years ago, she got accepted by all even a reach school. In all cases, she needed to sign-in on arrival to receive the information package, and sometimes a gift pack.