Admissions 101 – Understanding Demonstrated Interest

Admissions 101
Written By Anthony Shannon

When applying to college, you might have heard about demonstrated interest, a factor some schools consider when evaluating applicants. But what exactly is demonstrated interest, and how can it impact your application?

What is Demonstrated Interest?

Demonstrated interest refers to actions you take to show a college that you are genuinely interested in attending if accepted. Colleges track demonstrated interest to gauge how serious you are about joining their student body. In other words, demonstrated interest can be a signal of your intent to enroll, should you be offered admission.

Not all colleges consider demonstrated interest (see list below), but for those that do, it’s a key factor in shaping their yield rate, or the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. For schools focused on yield, demonstrated interest can help them admit students who are more likely to accept an offer.

Why Does Demonstrated Interest Matter?

For schools where demonstrated interest is a consideration, engaging with the college can be a powerful way to stand out. By showing genuine enthusiasm and commitment, you’re letting admissions officers know that you’re not only interested but also likely to accept an offer if given the chance. Schools that track demonstrated interest often do so to help balance their yield rates, so showing interest can give you a competitive edge—especially if your top-choice school is yield-focused.

Ways to Demonstrate Interest

If a school considers demonstrated interest, here are effective ways to show you’re serious about attending:

  1. Campus Visits

    • Visiting the campus is one of the most direct ways to show interest. Schools often keep track of students who attend tours, info sessions, or open houses. During your visit, take the time to connect with admissions representatives and current students. If traveling isn’t an option, many colleges offer virtual campus tours that allow you to explore the school from home.

  2. Contact Admissions Officers

    • Reaching out to admissions officers with thoughtful questions can show that you’re engaged and curious about the college. Maintain contact by following up if you have additional questions or if you come across new insights about the school that excite you. Admissions officers appreciate genuine inquiries that show you’ve done your research.

  3. Participate in Interviews

    • Many colleges offer optional interviews, either with alumni or admissions staff. Interviews are a great opportunity to make a personal connection with the school, and for schools that consider demonstrated interest, participating in an interview can highlight your commitment.

  4. Attend Virtual Events

    • Schools increasingly offer online webinars, live Q&As, and virtual info sessions that allow students to learn more about campus life, academics, and student organizations. Participating in virtual events is a convenient way to engage with the school, even if you’re unable to visit in person.

  5. Write Specific Essays

    • If the college requires a “Why Us?” essay, this is your chance to personalize your application and demonstrate that you’ve done your homework. Use this essay to explain why you’re a strong fit for the college and how the school’s values align with your goals and interests.

  6. Apply Early

    • For schools with Early Decision (ED) or Restrictive Early Action (REA) options, applying early is a strong signal of commitment. By applying ED or REA, you’re essentially telling the school that it’s your top choice, making this one of the clearest ways to demonstrate interest.

By demonstrating genuine interest, you’re letting colleges know that you’re excited about the possibility of joining their community. Not only can demonstrated interest improve your application’s chances, but it can also help you better understand the schools on your list and find the best fit for your college journey.

Which Colleges Track Demonstrated Interest?

Most colleges are up front about how important demonstrated interest factors into admissions. The list below is based on the Common Data Set issued by each school. This list is not comprehensive and subject to change, so please check the website of each school.

Demonstrated Interest = Very Important

  • American University

  • Cooper Union

  • Dickinson College

  • Hampshire College

  • Ithaca College

  • Morehouse College

  • Quinnipiac University

  • Syracuse University

  • Thomas Aquinas College

  • United States Air Force Academy

  • United States Naval Academy

Demonstrated Interest = Important

  • Allegheny College

  • Auburn University

  • Bates College

  • Bentley University

  • Butler University

  • DePaul University

  • Eckerd College

  • Elon University

  • Fairfield University

  • Florida Institute of Technology

  • High Point University

  • Kenyon College

  • Lehigh University

  • Loyola University Chicago

  • Michigan State University

  • Oglethorpe University

  • Reed College

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

  • Roanoke College

  • Seattle University

  • Seton Hall University

  • Skidmore College

  • The College of Wooster

  • Trinity College

  • United States Merchant Marine Academy

  • United States Military Academy

  • University of Arizona

  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst

  • Wheaton College (MA)

Demonstrated Interest = Considered

  • Agnes Scott College

  • Babson College

  • Bard College

  • Barnard College

  • Baylor University

  • Beloit College

  • Berea College

  • Boston University

  • Bradley University

  • Brandeis University

  • Brigham Young University

  • Case Western Reserve University

  • Catholic University

  • Chapman University

  • Clark University

  • Colby College

  • College of Charleston

  • College of the Holy Cross

  • College of William and Mary

  • Colorado College

  • Colorado School of Mines

  • Connecticut College

  • Cornell College

  • Dartmouth College

  • Davidson College

  • Denison University

  • DePauw University

  • Drew University

  • Drexel University

  • Duke University

  • Fordham University

  • Franklin & Marshall College

  • Furman University

  • George Mason University

  • George Washington University

  • Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Gettysburg College

  • Gonzaga University

  • Goucher College

  • Grinnell College

  • Hamilton College

  • Haverford College

  • Hobart and William Smith Colleges

  • Hofstra University

  • Howard University

  • Juniata College

  • Kalamazoo College

  • Knox College

  • Lafayette College

  • Lake Forest College

  • Lawrence University

  • Lewis & Clark College

  • Loyola University Maryland

  • Marietta College

  • Marist College

  • Marquette University

  • Middlebury College

  • Mount Holyoke College

  • Muhlenberg College

  • New York University

  • Northeastern University

  • Northwestern University

  • Oberlin College

  • Occidental College

  • Oregon State University

  • Pitzer College

  • Providence College

  • Purdue University

  • Rhodes College

  • Rice University

  • Rochester Institute of Technology

  • Saint Joseph’s University

  • Saint Louis University

  • Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame

  • Santa Clara University

  • Sarah Lawrence College

  • Sewanee: The University of the South

  • Simmons University

  • Southern Methodist University

  • Southwestern University

  • Spelman College

  • St. Olaf College

  • Stevens Institute of Technology

  • SUNY, Binghamton University

  • SUNY, Stony Brook University

  • Swarthmore College

  • Texas A&M University

  • Trinity University

  • Tufts University

  • Tulane University

  • Union College

  • United States Coast Guard Academy

  • University of Central Florida

  • University of Chicago

  • University of Colorado, Boulder

  • University of Delaware

  • University of Denver

  • University of Florida

  • University of Miami

  • University of Michigan

  • University of Missouri, Columbia

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington

  • University of North Texas

  • University of Notre Dame

  • University of Oklahoma

  • University of Pennsylvania

  • University of Pittsburgh

  • University of Portland

  • University of Puget Sound

  • University of Rhode Island

  • University of Richmond

  • University of Rochester

  • University of San Diego

  • University of Texas at Austin

  • University of Vermont

  • University of Wisconsin

  • Ursinus College

  • Villanova University

  • Virginia Tech

  • Wake Forest University

  • Washington & Jefferson College

  • Washington and Lee University

  • Washington University in St. Louis

  • Wellesley College

  • Wentworth Institute of technology

  • Wheaton College (IL)

  • Whitman College

  • Whittier College

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  • Xavier University

  • Yeshiva University

Demonstrated Interest = Not Considered

  • Albion College

  • Amherst College

  • Arizona State University

  • Belmont University

  • Bennington College

  • Berry College

  • Birmingham Southern College

  • Boston College

  • Bowdoin College

  • Brown University

  • Bryn Mawr College

  • Bucknell University

  • California Institute of Technology

  • California Poly, San Luis Obispo

  • Carleton College

  • Carnegie Mellon University

  • Centre College

  • Claremont McKenna College

  • Clemson University

  • Colgate University

  • Colorado State University

  • Columbia University

  • Cornell University

  • CUNY, Baruch College

  • CUNY, Brooklyn College

  • CUNY, City College

  • CUNY, Hunter College

  • Drake University

  • Earlham College

  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  • Emerson College

  • Emory University

  • Florida State University

  • Georgetown College

  • Georgetown University

  • Georgia State University

  • Harvard University

  • Harvey Mudd College

  • Hendrix College

  • Hope College

  • Indiana University

  • James Madison University

  • Johns Hopkins University

  • Kettering University

  • Loyola Marymount University

  • Macalester College

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Miami University

  • Millsaps College

  • Milwaukee School of Engineering

  • Mississippi State University

  • North Carolina State University

  • Ohio State University

  • Ohio University

  • Penn State University

  • Pepperdine University

  • Pomona College

  • Princeton University

  • Ripon College

  • Rockhurst University

  • Rutgers University

  • Saint John’s University (MN)

  • San Diego State University

  • San Francisco State University

  • Scripps College

  • Smith College

  • Stanford University

  • SUNY, Purchase College

  • SUNY, University at Buffalo

  • Temple University

  • Towson University

  • University of Alabama

  • University of California, Berkeley

  • University of California, Davis

  • University of California, Irvine

  • University of California, Los Angeles

  • University of California, Riverside

  • University of California, San Diego

  • University of California, Santa Barbara

  • University of California, Santa Cruz

  • University of Cincinnati

  • University of Georgia

  • University of Hawaii at Manoa

  • University of Houston

  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • University of Iowa

  • University of Kansas

  • University of Kentucky

  • University of Louisville

  • University of Maine

  • University of Maryland

  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County

  • University of Minnesota

  • University of Mississippi

  • University of Missouri, Kansas City

  • University of Montana

  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  • University of New Hampshire

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro

  • University of Oregon

  • University of Redlands

  • University of San Francisco

  • University of South Carolina

  • University of South Florida

  • University of Southern California

  • University of St. Thomas (MN)

  • University of Utah

  • University of Virginia

  • University of Washington

  • Vanderbilt University

  • Vassar College

  • Washington State University

  • Wesleyan University

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania

  • Williams College

  • Yale University

Anthony Shannon
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