Showing Colleges Love: the Importance of Demonstrated Interest

Someone in my extended family recently began a new relationship, so I’ve observed a lot of New Relationship Energy lately. Lots of hand holding and affection. Lots of joy and stars in the eyes. Lots of calls and texts. My family member is clearly interested in this new person, and it shows through their actions.

There are colleges who want students who demonstrate that New Relationship Energy for them. These colleges want students who show, through specific actions, that they are interested in attending— not just applying as a “safety” or backup school. In college admissions, we call this Demonstrated Interest (DI); it’s an important nonacademic admissions factor to understand.

What is Demonstrated Interest?

• It is a measure of a student's engagement with and interest in a college as they research and apply.

• It includes things like:

  • signing up for and clicking on links in emails

  • attending a virtual or local event

  • taking a campus tour

  • talking with an admissions rep at a college fair or high school visit

  • doing an interview

  • completing optional application essays

  • applying Early Decision (if advisable).

Colleges that track DI use it to gauge how likely a student is to enroll if accepted. This impacts a college's yield-- the % of students who accept an offer of admission. This is a critical statistic for colleges. Yield too low = unrealized financial targets (too few tuition dollars coming in). Yield too high = strain on limited resources like class seats and housing (ex: Virginia Tech in 2019).

Pro Tip: How do you know if a college tracks demonstrated interest?

1. Google “Does [insert college name] track demonstrated interest?” Easiest method but sometimes subject to outdated/bad results.

2. Google “[insert college name] Common Data Set”, then open the most recent results and head to section C7. You’ll see a chart like this:

Demonstrated Interest will never outweigh academic performance; 18 emails to an admissions rep and 5 campus tours will not cancel out a low GPA or course rigor. However, when tracked, DI can absolutely play a role in an admissions decision-- no college wants to be somebody's backup. Many of these colleges will outright deny an applicant who they feel has little chance of enrolling; this also pushes down acceptance rates (something else colleges are sensitive to).

As students engage with colleges, they’re gaining valuable information about whether or not each school is a good fit academically, socially, and financially. This is the case at all colleges; at those that track Demonstrated Interest, engagement is also a smart and strategic part of applying. Particularly in an era of continually rising application numbers, it’s important that students “show love” to each college on their list that tracks DI.

Looking for help with college applications and essays? Check out our packages for the Class of 2025 and 2026 or book an initial consultation to learn more about our services and approach.

1 Thing To Do in June if You're Looking For Scholarships

June is an ideal time to do scholarship searching and planning. Many schools/districts compile a list, such as this one, that they add to throughout the school year.

Reviewing these lists now is one of the most productive things you can do for your scholarship search. These lists are often cleared over the summer; in June, a full list is at your fingertips! Pro tip: Many of these opportunities are local, which usually equals fewer applicants.

Since most scholarships are offered annually, students can plan ahead to identify which scholarships they’ll apply for and when. Ask your school counselor how to access your school's/district's scholarship resources if you don't see them online.

Additional sources of scholarship information include:

• JLV College Counseling Scholarship Lists (by major, demographics, interests, etc.)

• Scholarship America

• Scholarship Guidance

• Student Scholarships (a weekly newsletter is available)

• Military-Related Scholarships

There are scholarships available for all kinds of things. Heard of the Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship? The Vegetarian Scholarship? The American Fence Association Scholarship? These are just 3 examples of unique, annual scholarships available for students.

Parents can help by reviewing lists and noting potential scholarships. Want an easy-to-use organizer? Here’s one that we created for our students:

Get the Endeavor Advising Scholarship Tracker

Scholarship searching takes time, but the effort can pay off for students who are organized and targeted in what they apply for.

Need help applying for scholarships? We guide our Comprehensive Package students through scholarship applications. In 2024, our seniors were offered over $2.13 million in scholarships! Contact us for an initial consultation to discuss our range of college advising services.

3 Things Juniors Can Do in May re: College Applications

Standardized testing, class projects, final exams…it’s the final push before a well-deserved summer break. While May is busy, there are a few key things juniors can do this month related to their college applications:

1. Request Letters of Recommendation (LORs). A good LOR gives insight into a student’s character, potential, strengths, and personality. Many teachers work on LORs over the summer; requesting them now gives teachers a heads-up (and beats the early Fall rush). At least one recommender should be a teacher in a core subject, while a second academic LOR can come from a wider subject range. Pro tip: We encourage students to think about when they demonstrated their best abilities and skills, not just a class in which they got the highest grade. A challenging class that required extra effort can highlight persistence and resourcefulness, for example.

2. Start working on Common App. Common App is the platform that students use to submit many/all of their college applications. While the 2024-2025 application cycle doesn’t officially start until August 1st, juniors can create their account now and work in the Common App tab. This info will be rolled over into the new application cycle, so there’s no reason to wait! Pro tip: We recommend our students complete the college-specific questions after August 1st since these may change as colleges adjust over the summer from the previous application cycle. Nothing’s more frustrating than doing work you eventually have to redo.

3. Brainstorm for their personal statement. This is the 650-word essay that will be a part of almost every college application a student submits. There's a few qualities of a productive personal statement:

   • It highlights something that is either not evident or explained elsewhere in the application.

   • It includes insight into the student's values, skills, qualities, and/or interests.

   • It reflects the student's voice and personality.

   You can read some of what the Endeavor Class of 2024 chose to write about here. You will notice a wide variety of topics! We help students find the story they want to tell and then determine the best theme or prompt for framing it. In our experience, this approach makes for more interesting, reflective, and inspired writing. Pro tip: One of our favorite brainstorming activities to use with students is this one! In our experience, it leads to unexpected topics that often turn into fantastic essays.

By focusing on these 3 things in May, juniors will be well-prepared for their fast-approaching college applications.

Are you interested in college advising for your rising senior or rising junior? Check out our services here. Package prices increase June 1st, so contact us for a complimentary initial consultation now to lock in current pricing.