Tufts Blogs

Researching and touring colleges is a two-way street. Students get to learn more about a school and if it could be a good fit for them, while the colleges get to showcase their offerings and connect with future applicants. As you explore colleges, you’ll likely encounter the term “demonstrated interest.” This is a tool for college admissions officers to evaluate how much time an applicant has spent getting to know the school. For many universities (including Tufts!) demonstrated interest plays a factor in the admissions process. 

While you may think of visiting campus as the only way to show your interest in a school, there are actually more ways than ever to engage with colleges as a prospective student– both in person and online. We recognize that not every student can physically visit every college they want to see, so we have numerous options for students to learn about Tufts without visiting. These include virtual tours, virtual information sessions, and blogs like this one! 

Each fall, the admissions office hosts “Fall for Tufts,” a virtual open house series of mock classes, student panels, and admissions Q&As. These are a great way to connect with Tufts before submitting your application. As you explore these opportunities, you will learn more about campus life, academics, and community here at Tufts.

So, now that you’ve done your research on Tufts, what’s next? How do you demonstrate your interest in us?

1. Dive deeper

If Tufts checks your boxes for things like size, location, and feel, keep learning more! Join our mailing list to hear about more opportunities to engage, get reminded about deadlines, and stay in the know with campus news. Continue to research academic programs that may be a good fit for you. If you're looking for more information about a major, research project, or extracurricular, ask a student! The more time you spend learning about a school, the more confident you can feel about it being the right fit for you.

2. Apply!

Now that you have a better understanding of specific offerings at Tufts, it’s time to apply! This is one of the most straightforward pieces of demonstrated interest. If you’re in our applicant pool, we know you’re considering becoming a Jumbo!

3. Be specific and personal in your writing

In your application, admissions officers will use the supplemental questions to assess your interest in the school. Tufts’ first supplemental question asks students to “describe how you have learned about and engaged with Tufts during your college search process.” This question was thoughtfully and intentionally worded in order for applicants to tell us how and what they have learned about Tufts. While there may be several aspects of Tufts that excite you, avoid listing them all. Instead, pick a couple of things you learned about Tufts and connect them back to yourself. This is still your application where we are looking to learn more about you! 

For more insight and advice on our short answer questions, check out this Inside Admissions blog.

4. Stay engaged

Even after you submit your application, demonstrated interest still matters! We still host many virtual events throughout the application review season that can help you learn even more about the university. You can explore our YouTube and Instagram, watch recorded sessions of past events, and stay in touch by emailing us any updates to your application.

Remember that demonstrated interest is just as much about you getting to know a school as it is about the admissions team seeing how you’ve engaged. Also keep in mind that demonstrated interest is just one factor in the selection process. Our team also evaluates your fit for our community, your unique voice and perspectives, and your academic preparation. I hope this blog has provided more insight into what demonstrated interest is and how colleges consider it. Once again, there are many different ways to interact with schools of interest. Happy researching!