Admissions officers only have so many spaces to offer potential applicants, and while demonstrated interest won't make up for the C- in Sophomore English, it may separate you from a candidate with similar credentials. There are many ways to demonstrate interest, some more involved than others, but with some options that can be accomplished from the comfort of your living room, there is no reason why you can't make the effort to show your favorite school that you want to attend. See some of the suggestions below, and remember to contact The Right Fit College with any questions you may have.
1. Request Information
As in any search, you should begin by contacting the university's admissions office for information about the school. You will soon find yourself on the school's mailing list, which will lead to invitations to local receptions, speaking engagements, open houses and more. You can typically find an online submission form under the admissions tab of the school's website.
2. College Fairs
If you see a college that you are interested in at a local college fair, stop by and say hello. Fill out a form to request more information and ask a relevant question or two to learn more about the school. This might be your first impression with a local admissions counselor, so make it count. You can find out about local college fairs by looking at the NACAC website and looking for regional college fairs.
3. Interview
If a school allows for interviews, you may want to schedule one. While these will not typically make or break an applicant, they demonstrate that you are willing to put in the extra effort in the application process. I would always recommend practicing your interview beforehand, which is something that can be done with The Right Fit College.
4. Campus Visit
If you can, make the trip out to see the campus. I recommend that students visit all of the campuses they seriously consider, but this process is often overlooked. While it may be difficult to see all campuses, there is an expectation that you will visit any campus within a reasonable travelling distance from your home.
5. Follow-up
Make sure you get the contact information for the individuals that you have met on tours, interviews and at fairs and drop them a quick line of thanks and a few things you enjoyed about the school/experience. Courtesy can go a long way, and this is good practice for the future.
6. Supplemental Essays
Many schools include supplemental essays as a part of the application process. Take some time to really speak to the university. While I understand that you may be overwhelmed with writing countless essays as to why you want to go to XYZ college, this section of the applicaiton allows you to speak to the specific school. If you like their approach to teaching anthropology, let them know and they will see you have done your homework.
In the end, demonstrated interest is an easy way to get a leg-up on the competition, so do your research and let these campuses know you want to attend i
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