Unraveling 'Demonstrated Interest'

I keep hearing the term 'demonstrated interest' in context of college applications. Can anyone help break down for me what that really means and how it plays a role in my application?

'Demonstrated Interest' is an admission concept that refers to how strongly a prospective student has shown an interest in enrolling at a certain college or university. Different schools evaluate and weigh demonstrated interest in various ways when shaping their incoming classes.

The premise behind demonstrated interest is straightforward: colleges prefer to admit students who are most likely to enroll. Higher enrollment rates can contribute to a school's statistics important for rankings, like yield rate, which is the proportion of admitted students who attend. Therefore, admissions committees might consider the interest you've shown in their school — through campus visits, admissions interviews, reaching out directly to the admissions offices, or attending a school's webinars or local events — as part of your application.

However, 'demonstrated interest' can come in many forms — not all of them necessarily obvious. For instance, you can demonstrate interest through your essays by showing detailed knowledge of the school's programs, culture, or campus life. Furthermore, Early Decision applications generally show a high level of interest because they include a commitment to attend if admitted.

That being said, not all colleges consider demonstrated interest, particularly the most selective ones, as they already receive a lot of high-quality applications without needing to encourage further interest. Another element to consider is the equity of demonstrated interest: not all applicants, especially those from lower-income backgrounds, have the capacity to visit campuses or partake in interviews.

Therefore, while 'demonstrated interest' can be a piece of the admissions puzzle at some colleges, it's essential not to overestimate its significance. An applicant's primary academic qualifications, essays, recommendations, and extracurriculars generally carry more weight in admissions decisions. Try to gain a sense of where demonstrated interest might fit into your strategy by looking at information from specific schools or asking their admissions offices directly for guidance.