Demonstrated Interest
A measure of how strongly an applicant has shown interest in a specific college through visits, communication, and engagement. Some schools weigh it heavily.
Demonstrated interest captures the signals an applicant gives a college that they would actually enroll if admitted. Common signals include campus visits, attending information sessions, opening admissions emails, applying early decision, contacting admissions officers, and attending virtual events.
Schools that track demonstrated interest publish that fact in the Common Data Set under "Level of applicant's interest." About 40% of selective colleges treat it as "Considered" or "Important." Ivy League schools and a few peers typically do not consider it.
For parents, the practical takeaway is to check whether each school on the list weighs demonstrated interest. If yes, encourage your teen to engage authentically — visit if possible, attend the school's virtual sessions, and stay on the mailing list. If no, save the energy for application quality.
Related terms
View all terms- Holistic ReviewAn admissions process that evaluates the whole applicant — grades, scores, essays, activities, character — rather than relying on numbers alone.
- Yield RateThe percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll at a college. A high yield signals strong applicant preference.
- Early ActionA non-binding early-application option that returns a decision in December but lets students apply elsewhere and choose later.
- Admission RateThe percentage of applicants a college admits in a given year. Calculated by dividing total admitted students by total applicants.
- Early DecisionA binding early-application option that requires the student to enroll if admitted. Typically due in November with December notification.
- Restrictive Early ActionA non-binding early option that prohibits applying to other private schools' early plans. Used by Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Notre Dame.