Ok. Time to gather ‘round. You want to know how to demonstrate interest effectively at Brown, and we have a bit of veteran wisdom for you. Frankly, we all know what it’s like to use eagerness as a blunt instrument. Basically, genuine interest is our secret weapon.
Generally speaking, we respect effort! It’s good to care! And we understand why students get so worked up about demonstrated interest during college admissions — it’s an emotional time, and if authenticity matters that could give you an edge in a competitive process where you don’t have a lot of control. So we’ll level with you: demonstrated interest has historically been confusing, ill-defined, and misunderstood, leading prospective applicants on a wild-goose chase to prove their interest in ways that range from the redundant (attending every virtual Q&A the college offers regardless of having previously attended one) to the creepy (finding your admission rep on the platform formerly known as Twitter and becoming a reply guy).
When colleges failed to disclose what demonstrated was and how much it factored into their decisions, motivated students felt like they had to try everything just in case it gave them that elusive leg up against other applicants going above and beyond.
We’ll start with the good news: you don’t have to do that. Recently, the college admissions landscape has changed in favor of transparency and equity, and almost all have made it clear that gestures like these do not matter.
Brown’s Policy
In plain terms, Brown doesn’t care about demonstrated interest. In more professional language, they report on their common data set that “level of applicant’s interest” is not considered during application review. If that’s not enough to convince you, take it straight from the horse’s mouth (or in this case Bruno the Bear’s muzzle (and if you think this joke is cringey, we simply say RELAX. LET US COOK)):
“Please do not feel compelled to contact us to demonstrate your interest in Brown; simply having applied demonstrates that you are seriously interested in Brown. The number of times you call, email or visit us will not have an impact on your admission decision.”
What This Means for You
Well, obviously, this means you can get rid of any busywork you had created for yourself and take a deep breath. You do not need to bend over backwards — or do anything that is financially unreasonable for you, like travel to make an in-person tour — just to show you want to attend a school. As Brown says, the act of applying is a demonstration of interest. Any other expectation would either be superficial (let’s be honest, anyone can sign up for an emailed newsletter) or unfair (not all students of equal promise have equal access to opportunities like campus visits).
Ultimately, this is good news, because it means less wasted effort on your part and a more transparent and equitable admissions process for everyone. It does not mean, however, that you shouldn’t do any of the things that you once considered to be demonstrated interest. We are telling you that the college does not have the ability or time to track those behaviors, but they will still benefit you as you prepare to apply.
Why is that? You do need to research each school you’re applying to for your own personal well-being (making sure a college will be a good fit for you) and for the credibility of your application. As you know, no college admissions officer is going to accept an applicant who sent it a cookie-cutter supplemental essay that could be about every college in America. The more you get to know your prospective school, the more information you’ll have to affirm that it’s the place you’d like to spend your undergraduate study, and the more specific and compelling your application will read to Brown’s representatives.
What Should I Do?
Of course, Brown echoes this sentiment themselves. “We offer campus tours and other virtual and in-person resources to provide you with the information you need to make an informed college choice and we welcome calls and emails for the same reason.”
They provide admissions services to assist you in the college application process, not to give you an advantage. Move forward with that understanding to save yourself time on empty signals no one is looking for (liking posts on Instagram) and to gain as much material as you can for a personal, charismatic application to Brown University. Whip up a delightful essay, turn it in, and live your life. Good luck!
We’ve been helping students go from demonstrating interest in their essays to enrolling at their dream schools for years. Reach out today for individualized college counseling.