洞察美本申请：详解“就读意向”
当挑选感兴趣的学校并列出申请清单时，你很可能遇到一个新名词——“就读意向”（Demonstrated Interest）。某些学校明确指出，在招生过程中将申请人对该校的就读诚意纳入考虑范围。不过“就读意向”究竟是什么意思？你如何才能向学校证明你的“意向”？
什么是就读意向
就读意向是招生官在申请过程中考虑的一项软性特质。按照我们的理解，“就读意向”代表着申请人被某个学校录取后，究竟具有多大的诚意选择至该校就读。对于申请人而言，意味着你对申请的某所学校到底有多少激情，或者至少是好奇心？
与平时成绩（GPA）、标化分数，甚至是课外活动不用的是，就读意向不是那些你可以在申请材料中直接表现出来的因素。相反，你必须在申请过程中有意识地向大学展现自己的诚意：例如积极参与校友面试、造访校园、或者参加大学展会。
就读意向可以用来预测大学的新生入学率（yield），也就是录取新生中最终入学就读者比例。大学希望确保多数录取新生选择到校就读，因此提升入学率指标异常重要，这也会使学校显得炙手可热。就读意向作为一个强有力的预测手段，为大学所用即可更准确地评估申请人录取后报到入读概率。
就读意向的重要性
让我们分别从学校和申请人的视角看待这一问题。从学校的角度考虑，你会认为每一个学校在招生中都会毫不犹豫地考虑就读意向。不过答案可能略微错综复杂。
根据2018年全美大学招生咨询协会（NACAC）所作的调查，多数大学在某种程度上将其纳入考虑范围，不过对63.1%的高等院校而言，其重要程度较为有限甚至根本不存在。以下是受访学校对于就读意向的重视程度：
15.5% 认为相当重要
21.4% 认为比较重要
34.5% 认为重要程度有限
28.6% 认为不重要
如你所见，就读意向的重要性因校而异，如果在申请过程中考虑这一因素，很多高校也会在其招生官网告诉大家。举例而言，凯斯西储和卡内基梅隆考虑就读意向，而普林斯顿和范德堡则恰恰相反。
并非所有高校都考虑就读意向的一个原因是其不够公平。就读意向的一个表现方式是考察申请人是否参访校园，不过访校需要一定程度的经济条件支持，这对于来自低收入家庭的学生往往难以做到。因此尽管就读意向是一项出色的预测手段，不少希望做到对所有申请人一视同仁的大学放弃在招生过程中考虑申请人的意向。
从学生角度而言，即使一所大学不考虑就读意向，对此进行充分细致地调查也使自己获益匪浅。正如你在下面的列表中看到的那样，那些展现对某所学校充满热情的举动，有助于了解自己是否适合该校。
即使某所大学认真对待就读意向，对学校表现出极大的热情也无法弥补申请材料中的薄弱环节。虽然更有可能录取对学校全心全意的学生，不过大学通常录取那些适合但没有表现出就读意向的学生。另一方面，学校也不会录取那些不适合本校但就读意向强烈的学生。
总而远之，对某校的就读意向有助于在择校过程中提升自己的自信心和录取机会，不过究竟能够起到多大作用，完全因校而异。
如何向学校展示就读意向？
以下方式有助于申请人向学校展示就读意向。你的所有行动应该都出于真心诚意。如果确实对某所学校感兴趣，你会自然而然地将其付诸行动，从而给学校留下良好的印象。
校园访问
虽然可能耗资不菲，如果时间和资源许可，访校是考察一所学校是否合适自己的最好办法。你将看到校园究竟是什么样子，见到招生代表，甚至与在读学生直接交流。如果你来自低收入家庭，很多学校可能支付你的访校费用（例如宾大，详见：https://admissions.upenn.edu/penn-early-exploration-program-0），而且你会得到一位在读学生的接待，这样不但解决住宿费用，而且还可以了解第一手学校信息。
参加高中信息发布会或当地大学展
这是一个无需长途跋涉即可与大学面对面交流的绝佳良机。高中升学指导办公室可以查询到大学招生代表的来访计划以及在当地图书馆或社区中心举办的大学展会。请将上述时间节点记录在自己的日程之中，并在参会时设法与自己感兴趣的大学招生代表攀谈。他们往往会提供签到记录并让你注册成为学校招生邮件的收件人，因此务必注册，这将成为你到场参会的实在证据。
参加线上活动或网络讲座
那些认真看待就读意向的学校认识到这一因素对低收入学生的不利影响，因此也在寻求帮助这些学生证明自己兴趣的可行解决方案。如果你选择的大学提供网络讲座或其他线上活动，请务必注册参与。如果是实时活动并占用上课时间，请询问你的升学辅导老师是否可以利用图书馆或其他安静场所收看网络讲座。
提出相关问题
无论你致电还是致信招生办，有机会交流总是一件好事。你可以咨询有关研究课题、出国留学或实习机会的信息，或者尝试与一位在读学生或教授建立联系，获悉他们分享的看法。话说回来，招生官每天应对不计其数的问题，所以你一定要谨慎从事。只提那些你在别处无法获得答案的问题。
打开邮件
大多数高校使用营销软件追踪你是否点开邮件、阅读内容，或者点击邮件中的链接。如果你还没有收到自己所选学校的电子邮件，请尽快注册将自己列入收件名单并开始阅读学校发送的邮件。请点击那些自己真正感兴趣的链接，例如自己拟选专业所在系的网址或者学生博客文章。
在提前阶段提交申请
哪些学校将就读意向纳入招生考虑范围？
我们在此列举了一些认为就读意向非常重要、重要、有些重要、或者根本不重要的高校。对于前两类学校，展示你的就读诚意有助于提升你的录取机会。
认为就读意向非常重要的学校：
| American University |
| Cooper Union |
| Dickinson College |
| Georgia College |
| Hampshire College |
| Hiram College |
| Ithaca College |
| Morehouse College |
| Quinnipiac University |
| SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry |
| Syracuse University |
| Thomas Aquinas College |
| United States Air Force Academy |
| United States Naval Academy |
| Wabash College |
| Westmont College |
认为就读意向重要的学校：
| Allegheny College |
| Auburn University |
| Augustana College (IL) |
| Austin College |
| Bates College |
| Bentley University |
| Boston University |
| Brandeis University |
| Butler University |
| Champlain College |
| Christopher Newport University |
| College of the Ozarks |
| Denison University |
| DePaul University |
| Eckerd College |
| Evergreen State College |
| Fairfield University |
| Florida Institute of Technology |
| Florida Southern College |
| High Point University |
| Kenyon College |
| Lehigh University |
| Loyola University Chicago |
| Marlboro College |
| Michigan State University |
| New College of Florida |
| Oglethorpe University |
| Reed College |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| Roanoke College |
| Samford University |
| Seattle University |
| Seton Hall University |
| Skidmore College |
| St. John’s College, Annapolis |
| St. John’s College, Santa Fe |
| Susquehanna University |
| The College of Wooster |
| Trinity College |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy |
| United States Military Academy |
| University of Arizona |
| University of Dayton |
| University of Evansville |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| University of North Carolina at Asheville |
| University of Tulsa |
| Wheaton College (MA) |
认为就读诚意略显重要的学校：
| Agnes Scott College |
| Alfred University |
| Alma College |
| Appalachian State University |
| Babson College |
| Bard College |
| Barnard College |
| Baylor University |
| Beloit College |
| Berea College |
| Bradley University |
| Brigham Young University |
| Bryant University |
| Calvin College |
| Canisius College |
| Case Western Reserve University |
| Catholic University |
| Clark University |
| Coe College |
| Colby College |
| College of Charleston |
| College of the Atlantic |
| College of the Holy Cross |
| College of William and Mary |
| Colorado College |
| Colorado School of Mines |
| Connecticut College |
| Cornell College |
| Creighton University |
| Davidson College |
| DePauw University |
| Drew University |
| Drexel University |
| Duke University |
| Duquesne University |
| East Carolina University |
| Elizabethtown College |
| Elon University |
| Florida Atlantic University |
| Florida Gulf Coast University |
| Florida International University |
| Fordham University |
| Franklin & Marshall College |
| Furman University |
| George Mason University |
| George Washington University |
| Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Gettysburg College |
| Gonzaga University |
| Goucher College |
| Grinnell College |
| Gustavus Adolphus College |
| Hamilton College |
| Haverford College |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges |
| Hofstra University |
| Hollins University |
| Hood College |
| Howard University |
| Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Illinois Wesleyan University |
| Juniata College |
| Kalamazoo College |
| Knox College |
| Lafayette College |
| Lake Forest College |
| Lawrence University |
| Lewis & Clark College |
| Louisiana State University |
| Loyola University Maryland |
| Marietta College |
| Marist College |
| Marquette University |
| McDaniel College |
| Messiah College |
| Middlebury College |
| Mount Holyoke College |
| Muhlenberg College |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology |
| New York University |
| Northeastern University |
| Northwestern University |
| Oberlin College |
| Occidental College |
| Oregon State University |
| Pitzer College |
| Providence College |
| Purdue University |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey |
| Rhodes College |
| Rice University |
| Rochester Institute of Technology |
| Rollins College |
| Saint Joseph’s University |
| Saint Louis University |
| Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame |
| Saint Michael’s College |
| Santa Clara University |
| Sarah Lawrence College |
| Sewanee: University of the South |
| Siena College |
| Simmons College |
| Southern Methodist University |
| Southwestern University |
| Spelman College |
| St. Edward’s University |
| St. Lawrence University |
| St. Mary’s College of Maryland |
| St. Olaf College |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
| Stonehill College |
| SUNY, Binghamton University |
| SUNY, Geneseo |
| SUNY, Maritime College |
| SUNY, New Paltz |
| SUNY, Oneonta |
| SUNY, Oswego |
| SUNY, Stony Brook University |
| SUNY, University at Albany |
| Swarthmore College |
| Texas A&M University |
| Texas Christian University |
| Texas Tech University |
| The College of New Jersey |
| Trinity University |
| Truman State University |
| Tufts University |
| Tulane University |
| Union College |
| United States Coast Guard Academy |
| University of Central Florida |
| University of Chicago |
| University of Colorado Boulder |
| University of Connecticut, Storrs |
| University of Dallas |
| University of Delaware |
| University of Denver |
| University of Florida |
| University of Mary Washington |
| University of Miami |
| University of Michigan |
| University of Missouri, Columbia |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
| University of North Carolina at Wilmington |
| University of North Texas |
| University of Notre Dame |
| University of Oklahoma |
| University of Pennsylvania |
| University of Pittsburgh |
| University of Portland |
| University of Puget Sound |
| University of Rhode Island |
| University of Richmond |
| University of Rochester |
| University of San Diego |
| University of Scranton |
| University of Tennessee |
| University of Texas at Austin |
| University of Texas at Dallas |
| University of Vermont |
| University of Wisconsin |
| Ursinus College |
| Villanova University |
| Virginia Tech |
| Wake Forest University |
| Warren Wilson College |
| Washington & Jefferson College |
| Washington and Lee University |
| Washington University in St. Louis |
| Wellesley College |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology |
| Wheaton College (IL) |
| Whitman College |
| Whittier College |
| Wittenberg University |
| Wofford College |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
| Xavier University |
| Yeshiva University |
根本不考虑就读意向的学校;
| Albion College |
| Amherst College |
| Arizona State University |
| Belmont University |
| Bennington College |
| Berry College |
| Birmingham Southern College |
| Boston College |
| Bowdoin College |
| Brown University |
| Bryn Mawr College |
| Bucknell University |
| California Institute of Technology |
| California Poly, San Luis Obispo |
| Carleton College |
| Carnegie Mellon University |
| Centre College |
| Chapman University |
| Claremont McKenna College |
| Clemson University |
| Colgate University |
| Colorado State University |
| Columbia University |
| Cornell University |
| CUNY, Baruch College |
| CUNY, Brooklyn College |
| CUNY, City College |
| CUNY, Hunter College |
| Dartmouth College |
| Drake University |
| Earlham College |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
| Emerson College |
| Emory University |
| Florida State University |
| Georgetown College |
| Georgetown University |
| Georgia State University |
| Harvard University |
| Harvey Mudd College |
| Hendrix College |
| Hope College |
| Indiana University |
| James Madison University |
| Johns Hopkins University |
| Kettering University |
| Loyola Marymount University |
| Macalester College |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Miami University |
| Millsaps College |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering |
| Mississippi State University |
| North Carolina State University |
| Ohio State University |
| Ohio University |
| Penn State University |
| Pepperdine University |
| Pomona College |
| Princeton University |
| Ripon College |
| Rockhurst University |
| Rutgers University |
| Saint John’s University (MN) |
| San Diego State University |
| San Francisco State University |
| Scripps College |
| Smith College |
| Stanford University |
| SUNY, Purchase College |
| SUNY, University at Buffalo |
| Temple University |
| Towson University |
| University of Alabama |
| University of California, Berkeley |
| University of California, Davis |
| University of California, Irvine |
| University of California, Los Angeles |
| University of California, Riverside |
| University of California, San Diego |
| University of California, Santa Barbara |
| University of California, Santa Cruz |
| University of Cincinnati |
| University of Georgia |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa |
| University of Houston |
| University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign |
| University of Iowa |
| University of Kansas |
| University of Kentucky |
| University of Louisville |
| University of Maine |
| University of Maryland |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| University of Minnesota |
| University of Mississippi |
| University of Missouri, Kansas City |
| University of Montana |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| University of New Hampshire |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro |
| University of Oregon |
| University of Redlands |
| University of San Francisco |
| University of South Carolina |
| University of South Florida |
| University of Southern California |
| University of St. Thomas (MN) |
| University of Utah |
| University of Virginia |
| University of Washington |
| Vanderbilt University |
| Vassar College |
| Washington State University |
| Wesleyan University |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania |
| Williams College |
| Yale University |
备注：申请学生在确定申请策略时，请务必以学校官网有关“就读意向”之招生政策为准。
参考资料：
https://blog.collegevine.com/what-is-demonstrated-interest-in-college-admissions/
https://blog.collegevine.com/which-colleges-consider-demonstrated-interest/
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/07/27/study-says-common-admissions-practice-measuring-demonstrated-interest-favors
相关阅读：
作者：海哥，本文经授权发表，版权归属作者和本号联合所有。
喜欢本文？欢迎关注/置顶/点赞/加入留学家长公益交流社群：