How does an admissions office choose their incoming freshman class? A lot of

weight goes to the GPA, test scores, and high school course difficulty.

Activities, honors, service, and leadership are all important as well. An

interview and the essay give the admissions office a small glimpse of the

student behind the statistics. But what really sets a student apart for some

schools is DEMONSTRATED INTEREST.

Demonstrated Interest is the effort you show in contacting the college or

university beyond the norm. Each phone call and each email are logged. If you

visit, be sure to sign in. That too is entered into your admissions record.

Thank you notes for time spent at an event or request for specific

information about a major are other ways to demonstrate interest.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling states that

colleges rating demonstrated interest as "considerably important"

increased from 7 percent to 21 percent from 2003-2006. The last year data was

available, 2008, placed demonstrated interest above the interview and class

rank in importance. Admissions offices realize students are very busy and the

students will only take the time to demonstrate interest in their favorite

schools.

Some colleges rely on demonstrated interest more than others. Those schools

that want to develop just the right enrollment numbers and freshman class

demographics are more likely to offer admission to students that show

demonstrated interest. Offering admissions to students mostly likely to

enroll also raises a school's yield, a number used in college rankings.

Parents, the colleges don't want your interest; they want the student's

interest. Please be sure the student does all this work to demonstrate

interest. Any parent contact will not be logged as demonstrated interest.

Be sure the interest is genuine. Admissions officers are pretty smart and can

detect when a contact is being used only to increase the number of

"touches". Don't overdo the contacts, even if you can find legitimate

questions. You don't want to become the annoying applicant-you will

probably be the denied applicant.

Your very best application is the most outstanding way to demonstrate

interest. An application that screams "I spent a lot of time to give you my

best work" will become the most important part of your campaign to be

admitted to a particular school.

So if you want to be admitted to "My Number One and Only Best

University", find and take all opportunities to demonstrate interest.

Students, visit the campus, attend admissions and financial aid information

sessions, attend a formal campus tour, sign up for and have an interview,

meet an admissions officer at a college fair, a local presentation, or an

in-school visit. Remember to sign in every time you demonstrate interest even

if you know you are already on the mailing list. Your efforts just may pay

off in April.