Did you know that some colleges have computer programs that track how much contact individual students have with them? And did you know that this tracking could later on influence whether or not they get accepted? This is one of those pieces of admission information that most people are unaware of. It's kind of an admissions secret.

Not all colleges do this kind of tracking. In fact, larger public universities can't be bothered with it. But small and even medium sized private colleges are often interested in students who show interest in them. They even have a name for it: "Demonstrated interest." The reason this is a big deal is that colleges see student contact as a way of gauging how likely a student is going to accept their offer of admission. Research has shown that the more interest a student shows, the more likely she or he will attend their school. And that prediction is very important to colleges in knowing how many applicants to accept, how large a waitlist to have, how much housing they will need for the next freshman class, and on and on.

What are some of the various ways that you can demonstrate your interest in a college?

1. Attending a college fair in your town and signing in at the different colleges' tables or booths

2. Returning postcards that come to you in mailings from colleges

3. Signing in at the Admissions Office whenever you visit a college

4. Visiting with a college representative when they come to your school.

By the way, did you know that every college in the United States has an admissions representative assigned to every high school? Meeting college reps, even better, becoming known and liked by them can also have an impact on your chances of admission. College reps are often the first person to review your application. So if you have met a rep and have developed a relationship with him or her, that person may very well go to bat for you when your name comes up at the final selection meeting.

It's never too early to develop relationships with colleges or universities you might want to attend. The more you show colleges that you really like them, the greater the chances are that they will return the favor.

Please keep in mind that some colleges have computer programs that track how much contact individual students have with them.