Make demonstrated interest work in your favor with these 10 steps
October 1st, 2019Can demonstrating interest in a college of your choice impact your chances of getting in? In many cases, it can! Demonstrated interest is the degree to which an applicant shows genuine interest in enrollment. Of course, it’s important to show your seriousness throughout the application process, and nothing’s weighted more heavily than your academic record and extracurricular accomplishments.
Private colleges are more likely than public universities to use demonstrated interest as a significant factor. Schools with very high yield rates, such as Stanford, MIT and most in the Ivy League, don’t concern themselves with this when determining final decisions, either.
Now the question is, how can you show that you’re interested in your top choice schools without “spamming” admissions counselors just for the sake of being in touch? The article referenced below from Forbes.com lays out 10 easy ways to stay in contact with colleges while remaining genuine.
A note to our boarding school families: Boarding schools, like colleges, strive to understand the family’s level of interest when considering admission decisions. Many of the same recommendations apply, and we think you’ll find this article interesting, too.
Article linked below from Forbes, published on September 17, 2019, written by Kristen Moon
10 Ways Students Can Use Demonstrated Interest To Their Benefit
What Is Demonstrated Interest?
Demonstrated interest (DI) is something universities measure to determine the level of interest a student has in a particular school. For some institutions, DI is something that they consider because it shows how eager students are to attend. With the rise of the Common Application and the Coalition Application, it is easy for students to quickly add on schools to their list without putting much thought or effort into it. Therefore, to see who is genuinely interested in the program is useful for the universities to see who they might want to admit.
Contact with the institution can be a useful tactic for students, especially ones who may be borderline for admission. Having an in-person interaction can help display your positive interactions and characteristics, bringing your application alive off the page.
Tagged: Applications, Campus visits, College, Demonstrated interest
More on demonstrated interest
October 30th, 2017You may have heard the term “demonstrated interest” in reference to college admissions – we’ve probably discussed it – but are you still wondering what it means and how important it is during the admissions process?
You’re demonstrating interest when you show a school that you’re willing to engage and there’s a true possibility you’ll choose to enroll. It can come in the form of campus visits, interviews, attending college meetings at school, communication with admissions counselors, and interaction on colleges’ social media sites. Your demonstrated interest can be of great value to an admissions office when comparing two similar candidates.
Not all colleges consider demonstrated interest, though. Schools with minuscule acceptance rates and sky-high yield rates (Ivies, MIT, Stanford, etc.) don’t need to pay attention to this as they know just about everyone wants to enroll. Most public universities do not use demonstrated interest as a way to evaluate students, either. However, the vast majority of private colleges do pay attention to students’ engagement with them.
The article linked below from Inside Higher Ed raises an important social/economic equity issue tied to demonstrated interest. While we want our students to demonstrate interest in each college on their list to the best of their ability, our hope is that more colleges will help subsidize campus visits for students with limited means to make the trip. Face to face interaction with college representatives is highly effective, but if travel isn’t feasible, other means of engagement can also go a long way toward serious demonstration of interest.
Article referenced below from Inside Higher Ed
“Demonstrated interest” is one of the admissions criteria used by many competitive colleges — even though it may not have anything to do with an applicant’s intelligence or character. The term refers to ways that an applicant shows he or she is serious about enrolling at a given college. An applicant who calls with questions about a particular program is more valued than one who doesn’t communicate beyond applying. An applicant who visits shows more demonstrated interest than one who doesn’t, and so forth. Many colleges factor in demonstrated interest to admissions and aid decisions, wanting to admit applicants who will enroll. The idea is to have better planning and to improve the yield, the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll.
A new research paper suggests that demonstrated interest has become another way wealthy students have an extra edge — and recommends that colleges consider policy changes as a result.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed >>Tagged: Campus visits, College, Demonstrated interest, Interviews
Best time for campus visits is upon us
October 2nd, 2017October is now upon us and it’s the perfect time of the year for campus visits. Leaves are changing and the air is crisp!
Not only are school grounds typically beautiful at this time of the year, but students are now comfortable with their new surroundings and schedules. Visit schools on your list during a normal week if at all possible, rather than on a weekend or during finals week. This will provide great opportunity to see what college or boarding school life is all about and give you a chance to interact with faculty and students.
Before going on a campus visit, I encourage you to be prepared to ask a lot of questions so you can learn as much as possible. Provided below is a link to a thorough list of questions to consider when going to view a school or college for the first time. Many of you have this campus visit guide already; although it’s written for the college search, it’s equally valid for boarding school exploration.
Indiana University mobile pocket guide>>
But wait, there’s more! Whether you are applying to college or boarding school, the article posted below is another wonderful resource. Although written for boarding school families, some of the advice can benefit families looking at colleges, too.
Article referenced below from The Boarding School Review
Read more at Boarding School Review >>
Tagged: Boarding school, Campus visits, College
Cognitive biases: how they might affect your college choice
April 3rd, 2017With the clock ticking towards the May 1 Candidate’s Reply Date, it’s important to use your time wisely. After all, this major enrollment choice will have a huge impact on your academic career. Continue the work we’ve been doing over time: gather as much information as possible about each potential school choice and consider all aspects of the schools on your list. It might be a good idea to revisit your top choice colleges in order to compare the small differences. We also recommend speaking to as many current students as possible in order to gain insight into their experiences, and researching some of the professors in your area of interest.
Juniors and sophomores, we hope you’re paying attention, too. This advice is not only for seniors at the tail end of the college search process!
Amy Brennen, author of the article we share below, gives an interesting perspective on what she believes might be ruining the college selection process today. She offers three biases that are important to contemplate when making your final choice. We appreciate Brennen’s ability to help us dig deeper into this process and really examine our choices, and we’re pleased to have come across her article online.
Article published below by Amy Brennen on LinkedIn
November 9th 2016: Trump’s surprise election victory left the entire the United States in shock. How could Trump win when pundits knew he didn’t have a chance? His victory was not only a wake-up call for many, but also a poignant reminder of how our cognitive biases like overconfidence and confirmation bias can cloud our judgment.
Cognitive biases, i.e. commonly shared tendencies for our brain to think in ways that defy logic, often lead to poor judgments and bad decisions. Yet by becoming aware of our biases, we can begin to fight back against them, an ability that is especially important when it comes to making college decisions.
Read more at LinkedIn >>Tagged: Campus visits, Choices, College
