Finding Right Fits and demonstrating interest

  Over the past several years, many colleges and universities have experienced a surge in applications and enrollment, leading to heightened competition. For more than 14 years, I’ve emphasized how demonstrated interest can play a key role in a student’s college admissions strategy.   

  At Right Fit, students are equipped with tools to effectively demonstrate their interest. They receive a template for reaching out to their regional admissions representative, along with a spreadsheet containing contact information. But having the tools isn’t enough—students must go a step further. They need to clearly express their interest, show how it aligns with what the college offers, and articulate why they are a strong fit for each specific school. 

The following is from a recent article in Forbes titled, “Here’s Why Your Valedictorian Got Rejected from the New Ivies”: 

“Here are the three primary reasons that top students get rejected from Vanderbilt and the other New Ivies—and how you can avoid making the same mistakes in your application:

1. They Underestimated The Competition

In the past, schools like Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, and Northwestern were regarded as relative safety schools for students aiming for Ivy League acceptances—but that has changed. In 2013, almost one-fourth of students who applied to Notre Dame were admitted. Today, that acceptance rate has plunged to just 9%. Northwestern’s admissions rate dropped to just over 7%. Rice saw a 7.8% admissions rate. Students also clamored to get into NYU this application cycle, with the applicant pool topping 120,000 people.

All of this signifies that these schools have established their standing among the most competitive in the nation, both in terms of their desirability and selectivity. Students no longer treat these schools like a second choice to their Ivy League ambitions—they are high reach schools in their own right. That being said, as with the Ivy League schools, the steep competition at schools like Vanderbilt and Northwestern is largely due to sharp increases in applicant pools. Though it is not necessarily harder to earn admission in terms of academic credentials, students must be strategic and intentional to distinguish themselves from thousands of other highly qualified applicants.

2. They Didn’t Demonstrate Interest

Every college wants to be wanted. One of the best ways for students to catch admissions officers’ eyes is by clearly demonstrating their interest in a school. If a student sees a school like Duke or Emory as a backup plan to Harvard, that will come across in their application. Instead, students should be intentional about demonstrating their authentic interest in the school, as it is a component that admissions officers weigh in their holistic evaluation.

Rice, Duke, and Northwestern, for example, make this explicit on their Common Data Sets, listing “level of applicant’s interest” as an admissions consideration. This means that these schools pay attention to applicants’ level of engagement, communication with admissions representatives in their region, attendance of online workshops or other events, and campus visits, both virtual and in-person.

However, even at schools that do not factor these explicit modes of engagement into their admissions processes, showing genuine and specific interest in the institution will benefit students in the application process. Applying Early Decision is one of the clearest and most effective ways to demonstrate interest, but students can also do so through their supplemental essays.

3. They Didn’t Consider Their Fit

Finally, in a sea of highly qualified and intellectually gifted applicants, top schools are specifically looking for students who will align with their campus culture, academic programs, and core values. Vanderbilt, for example, is a research-intensive, pre-professional university with a strong social scene and an interdisciplinary core curriculum. A student whose application is entirely focused on East Coast, liberal arts-style learning with no indication of interest in pre-professional life or large research institutions will likely be perceived as a poor fit. Duke prides itself on its interdisciplinary ethos and the balance it strikes between rigorous academics and campus life through its passionate sports fandom and active arts scene. Students who demonstrate that they thrive in environments that are both academically intense and socially vibrant will likely stand out over those who focus solely on the academic caliber of Duke’s programs. Ultimately, a standout application will not only demonstrate that a student is exceptional, but that they are exceptionally suited for that school.

While seeing top students face rejection can be intimidating, parents and students should view it as a catalyst for a more intentional and tailored approach to the college admissions process. Rather than feeling defeated, younger students should start early to develop their admissions profile strategically, build their college list, tailor their extracurriculars, and present themselves not just as exceptional students—but future members of a specific campus community.”