The end of high school is drawing near, and you’re eager to get started with the college admissions process. Perhaps you have a list of ideal schools, and you certainly want to make sure your college applications stand out.
But just how hard is it to get accepted into a top college?
The admission process for top colleges is highly competitive; gaining admission to your ideal school will take hard work and careful planning. You need to develop a compelling, unique admissions profile that will make you stand out from the thousands of other applicants—and Ivy League Prep is here to help you achieve that goal.
This article focuses on a potentially important part of your admissions profile: demonstrated interest. These Ivy League admission tips show you how to use demonstrated interest to your advantage.
What is Demonstrated Interest?
You demonstrate interest in potential colleges by actively showing that you are serious about pursuing admission. For instance, you could contact the college directly, visit the campus, attend an event organized by the school, arrange for an interview, or meet with an admissions officer in person. Visit our list of admissions webpages for top colleges if you’d like to contact potential schools to demonstrate interest.
Many prestigious colleges and universities view demonstrated interest as an indicator that you will attend the school if you are accepted. Therefore, they will consider you a more reliable and trustworthy applicant. Several top schools, such as Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame, consider demonstrated interest when assessing applicants.
However, not all schools ascribe importance to demonstrated interest. Many top colleges (including the eight Ivy League schools, Boston College, Stanford University, and the University of Southern California) don’t look for signs of demonstrated interest.
Even though demonstrated interest can be important for some schools, keep in mind that you usually won’t have to go to extraordinary lengths to show interest if you are truly serious about attending your target school. Never get sidetracked from the most important part of the admissions process: crafting an exceptional applicant profile. A compelling applicant profile will always matter more to top colleges than a one-day visit during your junior year or other signs of demonstrated interest.
How to Check Whether Demonstrated Interest Matters
If you aren’t sure whether a college will consider your level of demonstrated interest, you could check the school’s website or contact its admissions office. You could also use our list of the best research tools for learning more about your potential schools and their admission requirements. Alternatively, you can search online for the college’s “Common Data Set” and navigate to the “First-Time, First-Year (Freshman) Admission” section. One of the tables in this section will show whether the “Level of Applicant’s Interest” is considered in the admissions process.
Demonstrated interest is a comparatively minor component of college admissions. Still, you can use it to your advantage if you follow these Ivy League admission tips. Ivy League Prep would be happy to guide you through the entire admissions process and help you succeed.
