For some colleges, an applicant’s demonstrated interest in the school can influence an admissions decision. But as their most recent blog entry points out: (1) the University of Virginia isn’t one of them, and (2) trying too hard to look interested isn’t a good admissions strategy, especially if you start to annoy admissions officers.
Here’s a past post on how to effectively show interest in a college without making the process even more stressful or expensive.