Thoughts on Demonstrated Interest?

Hello, just a quick question. I've heard that some colleges appreciate demonstrated interest from prospective students. Can anyone explain what that actually means and if it's really worth it? I want to know if I should spend time on colleges that value this. Thanks in advance!

Sure thing I'd be more than happy to clarify! Demonstrated interest is a term used by colleges to describe how much you've engaged with the school during the application process, or how much you've "demonstrated" that you're interested in them.

There are several ways to demonstrate interest in colleges. This can range from visiting the campus (if possible), attending college fairs (whether online or in person), taking part in informational sessions or webinars, or even simply reaching out to the admissions office with insightful questions about the school. Even your essays can show demonstrated interest if you make it apparent that you've done your research about the school and can articulate specific reasons why the school is a good match for you, beyond just prestige.

However, not all colleges take demonstrated interest into account. For example, many highly selective colleges don't consider demonstrated interest because they already have a large pool of highly interested candidates. However, for some smaller or less selective schools, demonstrated interest can be a factor in admissions decisions because they want to admit students who are more likely to accept an offer of admission, which is beneficial for their yield rates.

Check out which colleges value demonstrated interest. You can usually find this information on the school's admissions website or by asking the admissions office directly. From there, you can decide if spending time on demonstrated interest activities is right for you. Remember, demonstrated interest should be genuine; you should focus your efforts on the schools you are genuinely interested in and excited about attending. It's not usually beneficial to feign interest in a school you wouldn't seriously consider attending.