Does Demonstrated Interest Actually Matter? School-by-School Guide

What Is Demonstrated Interest and Why Do Schools Track It?

Demonstrated interest (DI) is a measure of how much engagement you have shown with a college before applying. This includes campus visits, attending info sessions, opening emails, clicking links in communications, meeting with admissions reps, attending virtual events, and even following their social media accounts.

Why do colleges care? One word: yield. Yield is the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. A high yield rate boosts a school's rankings and reputation. Schools that track demonstrated interest are trying to predict which admitted students will actually show up.

Schools That Heavily Consider Demonstrated Interest

The following schools have publicly stated or are widely known to track demonstrated interest as a factor in admissions:

High Importance:

• Tulane University — Famously one of the most DI-focused schools. Applying Early Decision, visiting campus, and engaging with admissions reps matters significantly.
• American University — Tracks engagement closely. ED applicants get a notable advantage.
• Lehigh University — Considers DI and rewards campus visitors and early applicants.
• Case Western Reserve University — Known to weigh demonstrated interest in admissions decisions.
• Syracuse University — Tracks email engagement and event attendance.
• Brandeis University — DI is a factor, especially for borderline applicants.

Moderate Importance:

• Boston University — Considers DI but does not make it a primary factor.
• George Washington University — Values campus visits and early application.
• Northeastern University — Tracks engagement; ED gives a meaningful boost.
• Emory University — Considers DI as one of several factors.
• Villanova University — DI plays a role, particularly for early applicants.
• Wake Forest University — Values personal engagement with admissions staff.

Schools That Do NOT Consider Demonstrated Interest

Many highly selective schools explicitly state they do not track or consider demonstrated interest:

• All Ivy League Schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell)
• MIT
• Stanford
• Caltech
• University of Chicago
• Johns Hopkins
• Most large public universities (UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, etc.)

These schools receive so many applications and have such high yield rates that tracking DI is unnecessary. They know most admitted students will enroll.

How to Demonstrate Interest Effectively

If you are applying to schools that track DI, here are the most impactful actions:

High Impact

Apply Early Decision or Early Action. This is the strongest possible signal of interest. At DI-conscious schools, the ED advantage is real and significant.

Visit campus (if possible). Sign in through the admissions office so your visit is recorded. Virtual visits count too at many schools.

Attend admissions events. Info sessions, college fairs, virtual Q&As — attend and engage. Ask thoughtful questions.

Medium Impact

Meet with your regional admissions rep. Request a meeting or attend their high school visit. This creates a personal connection.

Open and click emails from the school. Many schools use email tracking. Opening emails and clicking links signals engagement.

Write a genuinely specific "Why This School" essay. Reference specific programs, professors, opportunities, and traditions that show you have done real research.

Lower Impact (But Still Worth Doing)

Follow the school on social media. Some schools track this.

Sign up for mailing lists and webinars. Being on their communication list is the baseline.

Contact the admissions office with genuine questions. Do not ask questions easily answered on the website — ask thoughtful, specific questions.

The Demonstrated Interest Trap

Here is where students go wrong: faking demonstrated interest is obvious and counterproductive.

Admissions officers can tell when a student visits campus just to check a box versus when they are genuinely exploring whether the school is a fit. They can spot a "Why This School" essay that is generic filler versus one that reflects real knowledge.

The goal is not to game the system. The goal is to genuinely research schools, engage with the ones you are truly interested in, and let that authentic interest show through your actions and application.

How to Build Your School List with DI in Mind

Identify which of your target schools consider DI. You can find this in their Common Data Set (Section C7) or through a quick search.

Prioritize engagement with DI-conscious schools. If you are applying to Tulane, Northeastern, and Yale, your demonstrated interest efforts should focus on Tulane and Northeastern. Yale does not care.

Use [AdmitOdds](https://admitodds.com) to see how competitive you are at each school. If you are a borderline candidate at a DI-conscious school, increasing your engagement could be the factor that tips the decision.

Start early. Do not wait until senior fall to suddenly show interest. A pattern of engagement over months is more convincing than a flurry of activity right before the deadline.

The Bottom Line

Demonstrated interest is a real factor at many good schools, but it is not universal. Know which of your target schools track it, and focus your engagement efforts accordingly. At Ivy-caliber schools, your time is better spent perfecting your essays and activities than visiting campus six times.

For schools where DI matters, authentic engagement beats performative interest every time. Check your chances at schools on your list with [AdmitOdds](https://admitodds.com) and focus your demonstrated interest energy where it actually moves the needle.