What is Demonstrated Interest in College Admissions?

You’re likely familiar with how the college admissions process works. You submit your application and supporting documents (test scores, personal statement, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.). Then, you wait until you get the news that you were accepted, rejected, or even waitlisted.

Something else a prospective college may look for is demonstrated interest. As the name suggests, demonstrated interest is simply showing interest in the college you’re applying to. 

You might ask yourself, “But doesn’t my application demonstrate my interest?” Yes, submitting a college application shows your interest. However, thanks to modern application forms, colleges want a little bit more from you. 

If you’re still scratching your head about this, don’t stress. Keep reading to learn why demonstrated interest is part of the college admissions process and how to prove your interest to your dream school.

What is demonstrated interest?

It’s exactly what it sounds like: doing something that shows you’re really interested in a college, outside of just submitting your application. So, what does this look like? It can be as subtle as following their social media or as involved as applying Early Decision.

How to demonstrate interest in colleges

It’s fairly easy to demonstrate interest in a college. You’re likely doing a few of these things already. You’re demonstrating interest when you:

Join an email list

Most colleges have a signup form or page on their website where you can request general information, subscribe to their newsletter, or indicate specific academic programs or activities that interest you. Intentionally signing up for their emails shows you want to learn more about the school.

Follow and interact with the college on social media

Yes, it’s that easy. Simply following, liking, and commenting on a college’s Facebook, Instagram, or X page is demonstrating interest. Doing this can have a dual purpose, as you can figure out what’s happening on campus from a school’s most-used social media page.

Open and read emails

Let’s be honest. Those emails colleges send out aren’t the most exciting, so we won’t judge you for not reading them. But here’s the thing: colleges use systems that notify them of who opened their emails and if they’ve clicked the links inside of them. So the next time you get an email from a college, open it, click a link or two, and voilà! You’ve just demonstrated interest.

Attend information sessions and webinars

Sign up to attend some virtual or in-person events for your future college. You want your name to pop up on their screens so that it rings a bell when they review your application later on. Want to take it up a notch? Come prepared with questions to ask an admissions counselor or program director to show your interest in learning more about their school.

Visit the school

Whether you do this virtually or in person on campus, it’s one of the easiest ways to demonstrate your interest in a college. These visits show admissions counselors that you’re really serious about attending their college.

Use your essays

Many colleges ask the same essay questions (especially if it’s the Common App). That being said, make sure you don’t sound like a broken record and take the time to personalize those essays to the best of your ability.

In your essay, reference a specific class you’re excited to take, a campus event or extracurricular, or a professor you’re interested in taking courses from. Don’t be afraid to use the same formula for each essay, but have some plug-and-play portions to reference the school you’re applying to directly to give it some extra “razzle-dazzle.”

Apply Early Decision

This is probably the best way to demonstrate interest in a school. But here’s the catch: only apply Early Decision if you're 100% certain that this is the perfect school for you, and you’ll be happy with their financial aid package. If accepted, you are obligated to attend that school—no ifs, ands, or buts.

Email an admissions officer

Before you hit send, make sure you have a good question or reason for emailing the admissions team. If you don’t, your email may come off a little spammy, and it’s likely to get ignored.

If you have a good reason to contact them, email them with a professional address (not iluvkittens4ever@aol.com), use complete sentences, address the admissions officer correctly, and sign off with your full name. 

If you’re unsure where to find their email, check out the school’s admissions website. Chances are, there’s a list of contact information there.

Participate in the interview process

Last but not least, if your prospective college invites you to participate in an interview, take it. Make sure to practice common interview questions and look the part to make a lasting impression on the admissions team.

None of these options for demonstrated interest are in any particular order, so pick and choose the ones that work well for you. Check off the low-hanging fruits, like following the college on social media and opening emails, and then plot out a few more. 

The non-negotiable on the list is using your essays to express your interest and desire to attend the colleges on your list. You should always personalize your essays for the school they're being submitted to, and if you do it right, that doesn't have to be a huge lift.

Write a formal letter of continued interest

If you've been waitlisted or deferred, the very next thing you should do is write a letter of continued interest, which will allow you to expand your story and remind a school why you would be a great fit. A well-worded letter paints a picture of you as a student who will positively impact their campus.

This is not the time for AI-generated wording. This is the time to strive to set yourself apart from the other waitlisted students. The best letter will help them see you on their campus like you do, making positive contributions and creating a positive climate.

This letter should show your best self to the representative(s), expanding on the story told in your personal statement when you first applied. If your initial application essay wasn’t as strong as you’d hoped, this is a chance to correct that. You want the reader to envision you as a vital part of their community. Feel free to be creative! For example, you might describe a recent project that aligns with the college’s values or your passion for contributing to a specific campus initiative.

How do colleges see or track demonstrated interest?

So, how exactly do you know if a college is taking note of your efforts? The admissions team at schools that value demonstrated interest regularly evaluates whether their applicants are engaged and dedicated to the school. As we’ve discussed, when you follow the social media accounts and open emails from your dream schools, the admissions officers can track that.

The same holds true for emailing your admissions officers or taking a campus visit. They are aware of whether or not you're engaging. Just as you probably know who's creeping into your social accounts, the colleges track demonstrated interest.

Demonstrated interest colleges

Not all colleges care about demonstrated interest. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) reports every year on the state of college admissions, and the most recent report cites that 13.7% of colleges consider demonstrated interest of considerable importance. Another 25.5% said it has moderate importance.

Outside of the colleges listed below, many also consider demonstrated interest in making admission decisions. But these colleges deem it either important or very important.