<p>Now that the PSAT emails and postal mailings are beginning to go out, I thought this would be an opportune time to ask which colleges expect students to show “demonstrated interest” as part of the admission process. I am told that Harvard doesn’t care AT ALL if you are interested particularly in Harvard or not–Harvard knows it can get you if it offers you admission. I am also told that some megalarge state universities don’t care if you demonstrate interest before applying, as they are used to lots of admitted applicants matriculating at other colleges. Which colleges like to be courted? What colleges worry about “stealth applications”? How do you demonstrate interest most effectively?</p>
<p>“Demonstrating interest” comes naturally when you truly love the college. I would say that “trying” to appear interested when you aren’t isn’t good, both for the college and for you. Not to say that you start bombarding the colleges mailboxes to show your interest. You could say, contact a professor of a department you’re interested in or contact coaches if you’re an athlete. </p>
<p>I’m assuming that the University of Chicago is in a position of “some megalarge state universities” you mentioned, or so it appears. It has a conspiciously low yield rate for school of such repute. I guess that happens because UChicago tends to be on the list of many (qualified) Ivy hopefuls. But at the same time, UChicago doesn’t want to be at par with an Ivy; it has a self selective applicant pool.</p>
<p>Emory University is quite straightforward in letting students know they want to be shown the love. From <a href=“Admission | Emory University | Atlanta GA”>Admission | Emory University | Atlanta GA;
<p>"We carefully note demonstrated interest during the admission process and expect candidates to have done their homework on us: have you met us at a college fair, ordered the Emory Video Visit (800.255.0384 or <a href=“http://www.videc.com)%5B/url%5D”>www.videc.com)</a>, attended an information session, or perhaps visited campus? Most importantly, have you clearly and specifically articulated why Emory is a good match for you?</p>
<p>We are honest in the fact that demonstrated interest can be a tip factor when we make admission decisions. We do not have unreasonable expectations of students, but we do expect at least one significant contact with the University, preferably the Office of Admission. More importantly we expect students to clearly and specifically articulate why Emory is a good match for them. In the Emory application or the Emory Common Application Supplement, every applicant is given the opportunity to explaining his or her interest.</p>
<p>Though we are often noted and occasionally criticized for noting demonstrated interest, we stand behind the reasonableness of the practice, and we openly explain our expectations to students, parents, and counselors. In last years application pool, lack of demonstrated interest affected a mere 6 percent of the applicants. "</p>
<p>WUSTL - They are like a needy salutatorian. Notre Dame seems to like it, too, if one visits their campus. They love to have prospectives LOVE their school.</p>
<p>2blue: that page was last updated November 2004…I’d be curious how that 6% number has changed (or how many of this year’s applicants “showed them the love” and were rejected or waitlisted)…I do believe that Emory still looks at demonstrated interest, but now that everyone knows about it, I doubt it is a tip factor for those that have already expressed it; It may, however, factor into those candidates who have demonstrated none; I don’t think it makes much of a difference except to check off that box on requirements for admission…</p>
<p>Now, the “Why Emory” essay is another story…</p>
<p>Checking from their main undergraduate admissions page today leads to this link updated in 2006 on Admission Considerations:</p>
<p>“We pay close attention to the contact an applicant has had with the Office of Admission during the application process. It is important that applicants have done their research on Emory, whether through ordering a Video Visit, talking with a representative at a college fair, attending an information session in your city or at your school, or visiting our campus. We also expect a competitive candidate to articulate why Emory is a particularly good match for them.”</p>
<p>If I knew someone interested in Emory or Oxford College I’d recommend they at least send for the video, in addition to working hard on their “Why Emory?” essay.</p>
<p>Colleges with very high yield don’t need to be shown the love because they know they can get a large percentage of the students they admit. Colleges with very low yield don’t need to be shown the love because they don’t really worry about a low yield and accept the fact that they are a safety school for thousands. It’s the schools in between that are needy for love.</p>
<p>No, I wouldn’t call the U of Chicago a “megalarge state university,” because it is privately operated and not particularly large.</p>
<p>Thanks for the informative and frank link about Emory. That’s the kind of issue I’m trying to discover here.</p>
<p>I think what gouchicago was trying to say was that Chicago was in a similar position as many “megalarge state universities” are in.</p>
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<p>Thats right. It’s strange why a school like UChicago, which is as good as an Ivy has such a poor yield rate. In those terms it is comparable to schools which have to “lure” admitted applicants to accept their offer. As far as academics are concerned though, UChicago is known to be the most rigorous of them all.</p>
<p>Boston College doesn’t care if you’re interested, and will go out of its way to let you know. Northeastern, on the other hand and just down the street, has the opposite attitude. As a dad, if my son couldn’t decide which college to attend, I’d help him make that decision very fast. Providence College will save every email you send; Stonehill expects you to show up at least twice before they decide in your favor. In other words, it would appear that the smaller schools care, the larger ones don’t. BC could use a good public relations training session on how NOT to communicate their self-inflicted arrogance.</p>
<p>By reputation, WUSL and Emory pay a lot of attention to “demonstrated interest.” The Northwestern University CollegeApp supplement includes a question about whether a student has ever actually visited Chicago.</p>
<p>I think an earlier poster is mistaken about smaller schools being the ones that care about demonstrated interest. Stanford, with about 7,000 undergrads total, says on its website it doesn’t care. Northeastern, which the poster says cares, has 15,000 undergrads.</p>
<p>There are all kinds of exceptions to a rule, but what you said is correct.</p>
<p>Does anyone know about American University?</p>
<p>Kenyon definitely. If you live in North America, basically plan on going to the campus for an interview if you want acceptance. Kenyon doesn’t like its reputation as the “Ivy rejects’ school,” and if they think you will go somewhere else, they will probably reject or waitlist you. Plenty of kids at my school would attest to this.</p>
<p>I took US News & World Report’s article on yields published this month. I chose any college (that by definition was one of the Top 100) and selected those in the bottom third of Yield and top third of “Exclusivity” (percent admits. e.g.,Harvard is first). I surmise those colleges who admit the least (implies the college has its choice of applicant) but get a relatively “small” percent of the admits are those who would be more sensitive to being seen as 2nd tier-Ivy safeties. Sure enough, WashU and Emory make this list:</p>
<p>National Universities
[ul]University of Southern California
[<em>]Washington University in St. Louis
[</em>]Tufts University
[<em>]Boston College
[</em>]Emory University
[<em>]Brandeis University
[</em>]Carnegie Mellon University
[<em>]Tulane University[/ul]
Liberal Arts Colleges
[ul]Lafayette College ¶
[</em>]Spelman College (GA)
[<em>]Harvey Mudd College (CA)
[</em>]Pitzer College (CA)[/ul]</p>
<p>Rice University? Son was told that if he could visit the campus in person and have an on-campus interview, that would def show interest. I believe it helped!</p>
<p>a school like the university of pennsylvania wants its applicants to show demonstrated interest. as part of the application a why penn eassay is required as well as a paragraph or two on a proffessor that they might want to learn from or a course they would like to take and why. upenn has a high yield rate</p>