What is Demonstrated Interest?
Demonstrated interest refers to the ways you show colleges that you're genuinely interested in attending. Some schools track this and factor it into admissions decisions.
Does It Matter?
It depends on the school:
- Schools that track DI: Tulane, Case Western, American, many liberal arts colleges
- Schools that don't: Most Ivies, Stanford, MIT, UC schools
How to Demonstrate Interest
- Visit campus (or take virtual tours)
- Attend information sessions
- Meet with regional admissions reps
- Open and engage with emails
- Write specific, researched "Why Us" essays
- Apply Early Decision or Early Action
Important: Demonstrated interest should be genuine. Don't just go through the motions—actually engage with schools you're interested in.