<p>What do they mean by "display of interest?"</p>
<p>Also do first semester senior grades count if you are applying RD?</p>
<p>They mean “tell us why you just love CMU, why you want to come here, etc.”. At least, that’s what we were told by the admissions counselor we met.</p>
<p>Yes, mid-year grades do usually count for RD.</p>
<p>HTH.</p>
<p>“Display of Interest” at CMU = Campus visit(s), Alumni/Adcom Interview, Campus Tour, Campus Information Session, and Local Information Sessions</p>
<p>Essentially, a “display of interest” event is a recorded way to prove that you’re really interested in a college. From my own experience, it seems like CMU really, really cares about demonstrated interest. In fact, virtually every top 25 colleges places a high value on demonstrated interest (with the exceptions of HYPS, UC Berekly, UCLA, and UVA). I hope you’ve already shown some interest in CMU. Good luck in the RD round!</p>