At some point, a question emerges: Do they know I like them? And, perhaps more importantly: Do they care? Welcome to the wonderfully confounding concept of demonstrated interest. Demonstrated interest is the information a college may collect about how a student has engaged with it: campus visits, virtual programs, interviews, high school visits, and other interactions. Some colleges consider that information when reviewing applications, others explicitly do not. Fortunately, colleges tell us which camp they fall into. The Common Data Set (open to all—check it out!) asks institutions to report how much they consider an applicant’s “level of interest,” ranging from Very Important to Not Considered. So before relying on Reddit, check what the college itself says. Why is this even important? It is relevant because admission offices are trying to build a class. They have enrollment targets and pay close attention to yield: the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. At a college that considers demonstrated interest, knowing you’ve spent time getting to know them can be one more useful piece of information in your favor. Important note: please do not read that sentence and immediately register for six more webinars! There is a difference between demonstrating interest and performing interest. The best demonstrated interest actually helps inform you, too. Please take the tour because you want to picture yourself there and meet the representative at Menlo because you have a question or want to hear what’s happening on campus. While a college may be gathering information about you, you are gathering information about them, too. Another important note: this also does not mean you need to embark on a 14-city college tour. Colleges understand students have different access to travel. Virtual programs, regional events, college fairs, and high school visits all offer ways to engage. We have over 80 admission representatives coming directly to Menlo this fall. If you’re considering applying to one of their colleges, come to the college counseling offices and meet them! So maybe, instead of asking “Have I demonstrated enough interest?”, ask “Have I learned enough about this college to know why I’m applying?” If the answer is yes, the demonstrated interest piece tends to take care of itself. If the answer is no, that is useful information, too. In the end, remember: this relationship is supposed to work both ways.