Level of interest is factored into the admissions equation, but some officials are wary of the trend.
High SAT scores, good grades and solid recommendations may no longer be enough to get into college.
Now officials want students to show passion for the school.
A few friendly e-mails can make the difference. A campus visit can tip the scale. And many institutions are keeping track of every contact, from a college fair “hello” to a full interview.
“You want to accumulate a lot because that shows you’re interested,” said Hillary Bush, guidance director for Poland Regional High School.
In a survey to be released later this month, the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that 33 percent of schools factor “demonstrated interest” into admissions, gauging how interested students are in the schools before accepting them.
Most schools said they used student interest to decide between equally qualified candidates.
“You’re looking for that extra plus,” said David Hawkins, public policy director for the counseling association. “If one person shows more
interest, that person might get the leg up.”
First-name basis
Of the 595 colleges surveyed nationwide, private schools, small colleges and New England and Midwestern colleges were most likely to consider student interest.
Officials from Bates College in Lewiston and Colby College in Waterville said they note every time a student calls or makes contact. Colby admissions chairman Parker Beverage said he also asks applicants to write an essay detailing why they are interested in attending.
“If the student blows off that question with a one-liner, if that student is from Portland and hasn’t come up for a visit, if that person is OK but not fantastic, we’d have no problem in putting that student on a wait list,” he said.
At Poland Regional High School, the guidance director tries to impress upon her students the importance of showing interest.
Some of her seniors now know college officials by their first names.
“We want them to look at the application, smile and say, ‘I know this person from Poland. I want this kid in my school,'” she said.
It worked for 18-year-old senior Stephen Michaud.
He visited St. Joseph’s College in Standish last summer and immediately fell in love with the school. Between July and November, he went to the campus four times and called to ask questions another eight. He got to know the admissions director so well that they’ve stayed in touch for months.
“We’re friends, I guess,” he said.
This winter, the college accepted Michaud early.
He believed the contact he had was “key.” And he says that’s the way it should be.
“If someone was pushed by their parents and was looking at five colleges, it would be unfortunate if they got in over someone who really wanted to go there,” he said.
Some are wary
But others don’t like the trend.
Some educators believe colleges use demonstrated interest only to inflate their position in college rankings. Generally, only 30 to 50 percent of students who are accepted by a school actually enroll. If a college accepts only students who are wildly interested in attending, it is likely that more will decide to enroll. That makes the college look better.
James Miller, admissions dean for Bowdoin College in Brunswick, said his school doesn’t track student interest at all. He’s not concerned about college rankings. He is concerned about equity.
Some students can’t afford to visit the campus, he said. Some have been coached to show extra interest in colleges while others have never been told it could be to their advantage.
“I’m a little worried about the unevenness of it,” he said.
Although Bates and Colby track student interest, officials say they remain wary about using the information alone to include or exclude applicants. Both schools said they place more emphasis on applicants’ personal interviews than the number of times they call with questions or tour the campus. An interview can tell both student and school if there’s a match. That is what’s most important, said Mitchell at Bates College.
And besides, he said, he receives more e-mails every year from high school students eager to show just how interested they are in his school.
“The question is, who knows if it’s sincere?” he said. “I remain kind of confused if somebody is really interested or just professing interest.”
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