DI: Demonstrated Interest is Darn Important

Imagine you have narrowed your list of potential colleges to the top six. Let’s say that they might include both big and small across the Midwest so mom and dad are a day’s ride away: 

Butler, DePaul, Minnesota, Iowa, Wabash and Wooster.

A nice mix—each with certain strengths. But how invested are you in expressing your “Demonstrated Interest” to these colleges? 

What’s that, you ask?

Beyond the grades, test scores and other segments that identify worthy college applicants, universities want to feel the love. The algorithms that colleges use to identify their best candidates often include a student’s Demonstrated Interest.

Schools track DI in an assortment of ways, some of which are never seen by a prospect. The most obvious is the official campus visit, perhaps whether a student stopped in at the admissions office and made an appointment for a consultation after a campus tour--or charged a campus meal, got permission to sit in on a class, or stayed overnight in a dorm.  

But there are many more ways a college tests Demonstrated Interest. Signing a card at a college fair is an important one, but bigger is an interview with an area alumnus who reports back to the college about the impression made. A connection on the school’s social media site is another huge indicator. A school will embed links on its Web site to follow where a prospect clicked and how long they spent on the site. Some also log text messages, emails, phone calls and even the occasional snail mail letter. One tip: If you receive an email from a choice, always open, read—and possibly respond. Data analytics know if that email was opened or not.

These many touch points are weighted and tabulated for a DI score. All other things like grades, activities and test scores being equal, who’s going to be extended an invitation: a student who sends along the Common App and little else? Or one who has reached out via multiple contact points?

So be curious and engaged. Colleges spend a lot of money to recruit incoming freshmen.

And if your short list included those six universities noted at the beginning of this blog--generally speaking--Iowa and Minnesota tend to focus on the raw numbers of tests and grades, but be advised to stay in close touch with the likes of Butler, DePaul and Wabash. As for the College of Wooster, it highly recommends regular contact from its prospective students.

Don’t be shy.

--Mike Ryan