Demonstrated Interest

The majority of colleges use demonstrated interest as part of their admissions process, according to a NACAC report entitled "The State of College Admissions 2006."

So what is demonstrated interest? It refers to an applicant taking the initiative to reach out to a college—such as visiting campus or contacting the admissions office with questions.

Demonstrated interest may be especially important if you've been placed on the wait list or deferred. Make sure the college gets any new information—did you recently improve your GPA or win an award? Also consider calling or writing to reiterate your interest in attending.

Why would the admissions officers care about demonstrated interest? For one thing, they want to admit students who are excited about going to their school. A cynic might also note that admitting interested students leads to a higher yield (a higher rate of enrollment among admitted students), which can in turn help improve a college's ranking and perceived popularity.