Exclusive Tips For Demonstrating Interest
With a rising senior in the house, my mailbox is flooded with college pamphlets, pleas to apply, application fee waivers, and so much marketing propaganda that even I find it hard not to feel a bit overwhelmed.
It surprises people that I don’t let a single piece of college mail enter the front door; I make my daily trip to the recycling bin and toss every bit of it! With the exception of an application fee waiver (which usually comes via email these days), nothing in the mailbox is worth my time or attention, and I certainly don’t want Margeaux (my senior) to think that letter from Harvard with the fancy crest and embossed seal means anything because everyone who took a standardized test in the last year got that. That is a crushing blow—and reality!
Colleges are benefitting tremendously from the surge in applications over the previous four years (thanks to test-optional policies), and it is my job to help Margeaux and the families I work with through the Magnolia Method understand what does and does not deserve our time and attention. So…throw that charming letter from Princeton away, and let’s focus on identifying which schools actually track interest and HOW!
First of all, what is demonstrated interest, and how is it tracked?
Many colleges are eager to determine which of their applicants are really motivated to be accepted and, hopefully, enroll. Are you applying because of location, reputation, or simply because you need more safeties on your list?
Colleges employ strategies to determine this and, therefore, track your level of interest—how have you engaged with the institution in meaningful and authentic ways?
how to demonstrate interest
The following are great ways to demonstrate interest, and colleges that track interest will take notice!
Attend in-person campus visits. Not only is this a powerful tool to determine fit, but it also lets a college know that you took valuable time out of your family’s schedule to see them in person. If you visit on a day when no tours are scheduled, or they were booked, make sure you register for a self-guided tour!
Many colleges, such as TCU, Wake Forest, Boston College, Tulane, and the University of Tennessee, host day-long events for juniors and seniors. I highly recommend these programs, as students can sign up for sessions related to their intended major, visit Honors Colleges, and even sit in on classes!
Most high schools host college representatives throughout the fall and even spring. Pay close attention to how your school posts this information, and be mindful of school policies—you may need permission or need to sign up with your counselor in advance. Look polished, show up 5 minutes early, and prepare thoughtful questions.
Pro-Tip: Get the representative’s information and follow up with an email thanking them for visiting your school. This is often THE PERSON who will read your application first!
I do not love National College Fairs and usually discourage my clients from attending. However, if you are crunched for time and don’t mind being hurried in a line and surrendering to the typical chaos, you can at least meet a college representative face-to-face. Overall, though, these events are far less impactful and can be overwhelming and stressful.
Attend Virtual Information sessions and online tours: If you work with me throughout sophomore and junior year, we build a list by strategically attending virtual information sessions, tours, and student panels. These “count” as a college visit at many universities. Syracuse even offers ways to sit in on classes: see here!
Too cool! I want to sit in on a college class virtually!
Engage on social media—The admission team’s Instagram and TikTok are engaging and often have great daily content, inviting students to interact through their stories and posts. They host live sessions with the Dean (UVA, for example, has excellent content with Dean J) or allow you to follow a student around for the day!
Visit the website and register to receive information. Many colleges offer an application fee waiver for doing this!
Open and read the emails from colleges on your list that track interest—scan QR codes embedded within these emails.
Schedule Interviews—I covered interviews extensively in my last newsletter. However, many colleges, like Washington & Lee and Providence College, host interviews early in the fall of senior year, which is a huge advantage for applicants. Many students who are well qualified for an institution but dismiss optional interviews end up waitlisted—do not let that be you!
Thoughtfully prepare ALL supplements: Many applications have optional supplements. Completing the optional supplement gives the admissions committee more information about you to make a decision AND allows the applicant to demonstrate interest, a win-win!
Apply Early Decision! This method of tracking interest is a bit more obvious and often the only way colleges track interest. Clearly, if you are signing a binding contract to enroll, you must be pretty interested!
Many colleges that track interest will waitlist a well-qualified applicant because they make assumptions about the applicant. If, for example, her academic profile far exceeds the average at that college and she has made no effort to engage, she is probably not that interested and shouldn’t get a spot in the class. Throughout my career, I have seen some very compelling applicants get deferred at schools like U Miami, Tulane, Northeastern, and Furman.
My clients have a demonstrated interest calendar set up to ensure high-impact points of interest throughout the application process, maximizing their chances of being accepted at every school to which they apply!
How do you know if a university tracks interest? If you work with me, I use a platform called College Planner Pro, and this information is easily accessible on each college's landing page. If you do not work with me, you can typically Google whether or not a college tracks interest. Please do not trust information from any site other than the university's official site—there is a ton of misinformation on the internet and social media!
What about those schools that don’t track interest? Well, they just don’t, and no matter how much you want to think your visits and emails will persuade someone to admit you, you are incorrect! Spend your time developing compelling responses to that college’s supplements—that is where you can illustrate your knowledge of an institution, and they can better gauge fit. But truly, if a university claims not to track interest, you can trust that it really does not.
More ways to engage
Send thank you emails after visits to your admission representative
Ask well-timed and thoughtful questions of your admissions rep throughout the process.
Attend at least one virtual admission event in the fall of senior year, even if you visited in person. Tulane has Tulane Trivia Nights, and Loyola Marymount hosts chats with the dean of each college and advertises these events on Instagram. These are great examples of ways to learn more about the university AND demonstrate interest!
The ACT is Changing!
There are two significant changes starting with the April 2025 ACT:
the ACT Science section will be optional*
the ACT English and ACT Reading sections will be shorter.
Starting in April 2025, students can choose to take the test with or without Science. The composite score will be the average of the English, Math, and Reading scores, and the Science score will be a separate score. Colleges may continue to require that students take the Science section or not - that is up to the colleges.*
Also, starting in April 2025, the English and Reading sections will be shorter - instead of 115 questions combined on those sections (75 on English and 40 on Reading), there will only be 71 total questions combined on those two sections. So each correct answer will have a bigger impact on a student's score.
However, while the ACT will cut more than 1/3 of those questions from the test, the ACT will not cut back 1/3 of the time, so students will have more time per question. Click here to read the statement from the CEO of the ACT.
Do NOT jump to the conclusion that you will not take the science section!
Colleges will dictate which sections they wish to see, so my clients will continue to prepare for the science section of the ACT, as many colleges will continue to require it.
Over time, many colleges may start to make that section optional, kind of like the writings section, which is all but obsolete now), but this will be determined in the years to come. For now - stick to the plan and prepare for all four sections of the ACT!
Whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, or advisor—you recognize the tremendous benefit of higher education and its impact on shaping one’s future. And no matter your role within this incredibly defining decision-making process, it can be a stressful time for you.
I’m here to be your advisor, organizer, tutor, cheerleader, friend, and compass through this journey. I’ve helped over 2,000 students locate and gain acceptance to the college of their dreams, and I’m so excited to help you, too.
Let’s get to work!
-Allie Pierson, Founder