Demonstrated Interest with Mark Stucker: What It Is and How Does It Affect College Admissions?
If you’ve been anywhere near the college admissions world lately, you’ve probably heard the phrase demonstrated interest. Maybe a counselor tossed it out. Maybe another parent swore it was the reason their kid got in. Or maybe you saw it mentioned in a college webinar and wondered, “Wait… are colleges tracking us?”
In this episode of The Ol’ College Try, host Peg Keough sits down with Mark Stucker—producer of the podcast Your College Bound Kid—to unpack what demonstrated interest really is, why schools use it, and how students can show genuine interest without turning the process into a full-time job.
Let’s break it down in a way that actually helps.
What Is Demonstrated Interest?
Demonstrated interest (often shortened to “DI”) is one factor some colleges use to evaluate applicants. At the simplest level, it asks:
How likely is this student to enroll if we admit them?
Mark explains that colleges don’t just want to admit strong students—they want to admit the right students who are actually going to show up. Enrollment teams even have internal shorthand for candidates they believe won’t attend. One common label: UTE — “Unlikely to Enroll.”
So demonstrated interest is basically a college’s way of reading the tea leaves:
Is this student seriously considering us… or are we just a backup plan?
Why Demonstrated Interest Matters to Colleges
Colleges aren’t guessing about DI for fun. There are real stakes behind it.
1. They Must Hit Enrollment Targets
As Mark puts it, admissions offices are responsible for getting the “right number of heads in beds.” If a college under-enrolls, they’re short on tuition revenue and risk budget cuts. If they over-enroll, they scramble for housing, classrooms, and staffing. Either way, it’s a mess.
Demonstrated interest helps schools predict yield—aka the percentage of admitted students who will actually enroll.
2. Colleges Have Limited Resources
Admissions teams can’t personally call every student in their inquiry pool. They can’t mail expensive glossy brochures to everyone either. DI helps them prioritize.
If you’ve engaged with a school, they know you’re worth the time and money.
3. Rankings and Admit Rates Still Rule the World
Even families who say they don’t care about rankings often care about admit rates. Mark shares how parents at info sessions repeatedly ask, “What’s your acceptance rate?” not out of curiosity—but to judge prestige.
If a school admits students who never enroll, their admit rate rises, their yield drops, and their perceived selectivity suffers. DI helps colleges protect those numbers.
Do All Colleges Use Demonstrated Interest?
Nope. This is where things get tricky.
Some colleges care deeply. Others truly don’t track it at all.
Mark offers a great “rule of thumb” framework:
Schools More Likely to Use DI
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Private colleges (more than publics)
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Smaller or mid-sized schools
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Less selective colleges
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Schools with lower yield rates (especially under 20–30%)
Schools Less Likely to Use DI
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Large public flagships
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Some highly selective universities that don’t need to worry about filling seats
But there are exceptions on both sides. Some publics (like William & Mary) do track interest. Some selective schools use DI through early decision or restrictive early action. So the best way to confirm? Mark recommends checking the Common Data Set (CDS).
In Section C7, colleges rank DI as:
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Not considered
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Considered
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Important
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Very important
Even “considered” can matter. Some schools downplay the label even when they actively use DI.
Does a Student Have to Visit Campus to Show Interest?
This is the #1 fear parents have. And the answer is:
Usually, no.
Mark says most colleges don’t expect cross-country visits. A virtual visit is typically enough if you live far away.
But there’s one big exception:
If you live close to a college and never visit, some schools read that as “demonstrated disinterest.”
Mark shares how Haverford College and Connecticut College have been clear: students in their backyard who don’t visit are far less likely to be admitted.
Peg backs this up with her own experience. She watched how her kids’ admissions reps remembered them from school visits and optional interviews. Those human connections can help a student stand out in a competitive pool.
So no, traveling isn’t mandatory. But if a campus is reachable, visiting can be a smart move.
How Colleges Track Demonstrated Interest
Here’s where things get real.
Colleges track DI in the same way businesses track customers. Mark even compares it to Amazon retargeting: you browse something once, and suddenly it follows you everywhere.
Admissions offices use CRMs like Slate to monitor student engagement. That means DI can come from more places than you might realize.
Top Ways Students Can Demonstrate Interest (Without Being Annoying)
Below are the most meaningful DI signals Mark and Peg highlight:
1. Campus Visits (In-Person or Virtual)
Still one of the strongest indicators. Mark notes a college leader who said students were five times more likely to enroll if they visited. Schools notice that.
2. College Fairs and High School Visits
Stop by the booth. Fill out the contact card. Ask a good question.
Those small actions get logged.
3. Optional Interviews
Mark’s take: they’re not really optional if a school offers them. It’s both a DI signal and a chance to add personality to the application.
4. Strong “Why Us?” Essays
These essays test:
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Demonstrated Interest (DI): How much have you researched us?
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Demonstrated Understanding (DU): Do you truly get who we are?
Generic answers = weak DI. Specific, thoughtful answers = strong DI.
5. Email Engagement
Not spammy weekly emails. Just meaningful outreach:
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Asking real questions
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Connecting about programs
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Following up after a visit
At some colleges, those interactions go right into the student file.
6. Opening Emails and Clicking Links
Yes, really. Colleges can see who opens newsletters, registers for events, and follows through.
7. Website Traffic
This is the sleeper DI factor many families don’t know about. Mark shares a story where a school admitted a student partly because their browsing history showed deep engagement with the school’s anti-racism initiative. That mission alignment mattered.
8. Early Decision
The biggest DI signal of all. Early decision is basically a student saying, “If you admit me, I’m coming.” Schools love that certainty.
Early action can help a little, but it’s not nearly as strong because it’s non-binding.
9. Recruited Athletics
If a coach is advocating for a student and there’s real communication, that counts as DI because yield rates for recruited athletes are high.
Key Takeaways for Parents and Students
Mark closes the episode with a refreshingly simple thought:
If students are genuinely researching schools, they will naturally demonstrate interest.
DI isn’t meant to be a game of “collecting points.” It’s a byproduct of doing the process well.
Peg agrees. Families should see DI as useful activity, not busywork:
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It helps kids figure out fit.
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It helps parents assess value.
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It helps students write better essays and interviews.
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And yes, it can improve admissions odds.
Also important: demonstrating interest can tie into financial aid outcomes. Peg notes that some colleges package more generously for students they believe are truly likely to enroll.
So DI can affect both admission and affordability.
Final Thought
Demonstrated interest doesn’t have to stress your family out. Think of it like this:
If a student wouldn’t do it to help themselves decide, they probably don’t need to do it just to impress the college.
Visit when you can. Engage when it’s meaningful. Ask real questions. Do the optional stuff that matters. And most importantly—build a list of schools your student truly wants to attend.
Because the best demonstrated interest is the honest kind.
