College admissions committees have always been more interested in students who are interested in their schools than those who are simply throwing in another application just to see if they can get in or to use as a safety school. Back in the days before college admissions became more competitive than the Olympics, it was enough for candidates to say (and we were actually coached to say), during interviews for example, “You’re my first choice.” In today’s college admissions game, that no longer flies. You have to PROVE you’re interested (see Summer Goals and the College Admissions Game); you have to DEMONSTRATE your interest. So how do you do that? Good question, glad you asked.
The first thing you’ll want to do is attend as many official functions of the colleges in which you’re interested in attending as possible. Truly interested student VISIT the college campus to kick the tires (unless, of course, it requires air travel, which committees understand sometimes proves prohibitive), the very same way they might visit a dealership and check out cars before they purchase. Similarly, you’ll want to attend colleges’ official campus Information Sessions (aka Info Sessions) and take an official college tour. Most schools take attendance at these events precisely to track student interest (so be sure to write your name LEGIBLY when you sign in!). Likewise, sign up for a campus or alumni interview wherever possible. Attend college fairs and make connections with the representatives from the colleges on your list. Go to any sessions at your school or in your area at which your colleges are making presentations. Visit a second time and ask to attend classes in which you are interested (i.e., take the school for a test drive). All these ways DEMONSTRATE that you are, in fact, a highly interested candidate.
For this reason, “Demonstrated Interest” has been a key phrase in the last decade of the college admissions game. Over the past few years, as more and more applicants vie for roughly the same number of spots in each freshman class, the standard has become even higher, and “demonstrated interest” has morphed into “INFORMED interest.” Informed interest includes everything that demonstrated interest includes as per above, but adds another element, namely, knowing details about the specific programs, majors, course sequences, distribution requirements, activities, community service, study abroad programs, and/or internship and job opportunities available at your chosen schools. Students who spend time on their schools’ websites, examining all its personally appealing features, have ammunition to show their informed interest during interviews and on Supplement Essays (see Hot Tips for Writing Responses to the Most Common Supplement Essay Question). Talk to your guidance counselor about unique aspects of the schools. Talk to students who go there. Talk to students who went there. The more intel you gather, the better. Students who know a lot about the schools to which they’re applying and who can speak and write articulately about the specific appealing aspects of a given college capture the interest of admissions committees much more readily than those who do not.
So the bad news is you have to do your homework. The good news is that if you do, you’ll have a major competitive advantage over other candidates! We’re here to help.
See Also:
Summer Goals and the College Admissions Game
Hot Tips for Writing Responses to the Most Common Supplement Essay Question