College applicants need to have the right mix of grades, standardized text scores, teacher recommendations and extracurricula actvities to make it into the college of their choice. An extra ingredient? How about Love?
That’s right. According the the Boston Globe, a new success factor in a college applications is showing the college that you love it:

In its annual survey of admissions trends, the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that 22 percent of colleges gave interest “considerable importance” in admissions, up from 7 percent in 2003. Another 30 percent of schools rated it as moderately important.

In terms of influence, it outranked such admissions standbys as counselor and teacher recommendations, interviews, and extracurriculars, and was narrowly behind class rank and personal essays.

This works for the college becuase:

Giving preference to students whose interest seems genuine also helps colleges boost their image. By targeting students who are more likely to attend, they can admit a smaller percentage and still fill out their freshman class, making them appear more selective and more desirable.

Ways to show the college that you love them:

• Be aware that many colleges track every contact they have with applicants.
• Always make sure the admissions office knows you are there when you visit campus. Look for a sign-up sheet and fill it out legibly.
• Avoid going overboard. Learn to practice the fine art of ‘admissions office flirting’ without being overbearing - a tip which applies to parents as much as students.