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What is “Demonstrated Interest”?

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John Lof
Senior Admission Counselor

John Lof, Admission Counselor

Demonstrated interest is a term that may not be as familiar to prospective college students as some other more common terms. It’s a pretty simple idea though, and one that can be important in your college application experience.

Demonstrated interest is exactly what it sounds like: It's the interest that you're demonstrating in an institution to indicate that it might be a place you want to spend a few years advancing your education.

In what ways can I show my interest in a college?

Demonstrating your interest in a college or university can be done in a lot of ways, and most are easy to do.

Visit campus in person.

In addition to getting a feel for campus and the vibe of the community, a campus visit shows that your consideration of the college is serious. There are plenty of opportunities to visit the college (or colleges) of your choice and show your interest — information sessions, programs or events, interviews, or during many other days the college makes available.

Explore the college online.

Spend some time looking over the college’s website. Just about everything that you can find in-person on campus, is available online. Most institutions have virtual tours, information sessions, and many other opportunities to engage virtually.

Engage your college admission counselor directly.

This doesn’t mean we want you to spam our email inbox or anything like that, but just the occasional email is fine and allows us to know you a little better at the same time. Also, be sure to follow up with your counselor after your interview or in-person visit or just to ask a question you may have — these are all perfect opportunities to demonstrate your interest.

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