So you want to anchor down, huh? Vanderbilt has gotten increasingly competitive in recent years, and it’s natural that eager prospective students are looking to have an edge on their competition in any way that they can. “Demonstrated Interest” has remained a hot-button issue in college admissions because applying can be an incredibly emotional process and it’s hard to understand how much demonstrated interest really matters.

The good news, though, is that universities have finally started publicizing their policies, which means less doubt and anxiety for students. If you’re really interested in Vanderbilt, all you need to do is make that clear in your application — and maybe applying ED if it’s your top choice. Rest assured, though, that your passion will come through in your writing and reasons for applying, and you can let go of the pressure to participate in a demonstrated interest arms race.

Vanderbilt’s Policy

Vanderbilt’s policy is simple and crystal-clear: they don’t track demonstrated interest. Their lists “level of applicant’s interest” as “not considered,” and their admissions page states “that Vanderbilt does not consider demonstrated interest in the admissions review process.”

What This Means for You

This is good news! Some students feel a bit of disappointment when they learn demonstrated interest doesn’t factor into their applications, because it might initially seem like one thing they have control over. Here’s why we think this is for the best. For one, it makes college applications more equitable, which saves everyone time and money.

Not all students have equal levels of access to pre-college programs or campus visits, so colleges cannot fairly use this as a criteria for demonstrated interest. Moreover, these things are great indicators of sincere interest. Think about it — tours are informational, and students go to learn more about a college. Sometimes they walk away having no desire to apply there, or they went just to check a box. If colleges made decisions based on campus tour history, they’d be a lot worse off in terms of yield than prioritizing the students who were most academically qualified and wrote the most compelling essays.

In the end, this policy is best for everyone. It makes the playing field more level for everyone, and it also means you don’t have to spend a lot of time on wasted efforts just to get a college’s attention.

What Should You Do?

Keep your eye on the prize! You can abandon any busywork you’ve made for yourself to demonstrate interest — for example, you can follow Vanderbilt on social media if it helps you get a feel for school vibe and campus culture, but don’t think that the admissions office is tracking your engagement with their Instagram page. Quite literally no one has time for that — not them, and not you.

We’re not suggesting, however, that you don’t demonstrate interest. You should! It’s how you get useful information about Vanderbilt. This is just a reframe. Demonstrating interest is for your benefit, not Vanderbilt’s. With every hour you spend going through their course catalog or attending a virtual Q&A, you’ll have more data to support whether or not Vanderbilt is the place for you.

Ultimately, that will bolster your supplemental essays and demonstrate that you’re knowledgeable about Vanderbilt’s programs and that you’re a uniquely good fit for their student body. That’s the only demonstrated interest that really matters! That means best practices are the same as always — do your research, include details and personality in your essays, and show admissions that you’re a born Commodore.

Struggling to replace demonstrated interest with stand-out essays? Reach out to us here.