<p>DC,</p>
<p>It is painful for me to see folks promoting a factor that really only matters at a small number of colleges, NOT including UofC. In fact, this factor has been promoted to urban legend status IMHO.</p>
<p>It is particularly sad because efforts to “demonstrate interest” can actually backfire on an applicant. Have you ever heard of the phrases “over-eager” or “over-selling”? (or maybe “pest”?) Then consider the poor adcom who gets bombarded with all sorts of emails from applicants who want to “show interest.” Or the poor faculty members who get asked for meetings so an applicant can “show interest” (yes, this strategy is commonly promoted by folks, especially parents.)</p>
<p>If you want to get an idea of what a college thinks about tracking contacts, just pay attention to how they handle campus visits. Do they ask you to sign in? Chicago did not when we visited. Rochester did. </p>
<p>I think part of the problem is that all too many folks think admissions is a “game” with hidden rules just waiting to be discovered (“However, these facts require efforts and meticulous attention do divulge.”). </p>
<p>Admissions is not a game. With a few curious exceptions, the rules are pretty clear. The exceptions are more relevant at places like Harvard and Yale, have to do with legacies and soft factors, and are beyond the scope of this discussion (but see Karabel’s book “The Chosen” for some background!)</p>
<p>You are of course welcome to think if it as a game. But please don’t mislead others into paths that will waste a lot of their time.</p>