What to Do If You’ve Been Deferred

Compiled by Katherine L. Cohen, Ph.D., CEO & Founder and the team of counselors at ApplyWise.com

Getting deferred from your top choice school can be disappointing. But, don't despair!

The competition in the Early Action/Early Decision application pool has become increasingly intense with each passing year. For the class of 2016, early applications rose at many selective schools around the US. Brown University experienced an early application increase of nearly 5.5%, while Duke University jumped 23% and the University of Chicago increased by a whopping 25%! While the number of early applications at Yale University decreased (down 18%), likely due to the return of Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA) programs at Harvard University (which received 4,245) and Princeton University (which received 3,547), the school still received 4,310 SCEA applications, more than three times the number of spots in Yale’s freshmen class.

A rise in applicants seldom results in a rise in admittances, however. Students who are not accepted are either deferred or denied. Some schools deny students in their early application cycle if the admissions committee feels a candidate is not competitive enough. If deferred, this means your application will be held and considered with the rest of the school's regular decision applications. So, focus on the bright side. In addition to still being a candidate for admission at the school, being deferred gives you the opportunity to send additional information to strengthen your application in the regular round. Our expert counselors have some tips on what you can do when you are deferred.

1. If you have not already done so, write a one-page letter by email (and followed up by post) addressed to the admissions representative at the college who evaluates applicants from your high school and copy the Dean of Admissions. Your letter should:

• Genuinely show your commitment to your top choice school and articulate that if you are admitted in the regular decision round, you intend to enroll (if that’s the case). If you’re not sure that you’d enroll, write that the college remains a top choice for you.
• Re-state your reasons why that school best fits your academic and personal needs. Make references to specific professors, courses, extra-curricular activities and research opportunities that show your knowledge of the school.
• Update the college on all the achievements you have made, both inside and outside of the classroom, since you submitted your Early Action/Decision application.
• Be upbeat and do not show signs of disappointment or frustration.

2. If there is another teacher (especially a senior year teacher) or outside recommender (coach, employer, etc.) who can add new information to your application file, seek one additional letter of recommendation to send to the college. You can also do this if something in your life has changed since you first submitted your application and this change merits explanation.

3. Consider updating anything that was written in error or not written well in your original application. It's important to resist overloading the admissions office with new material. Consult with your high school college counselor before sending in any extra materials, so you only send in what is absolutely necessary.

4. If you have not yet visited your top choice college, take the opportunity to visit the campus before March 1st. A campus visit can help you decide if the college is truly for you. During your campus visit, try to schedule the following:

• Meet face-to-face with your admissions representative.
• Sit in on classes and have the opportunity to meet with a professor before or after class.
• Have lunch in the campus dining center to meet and speak with current students.

5. By early March, make sure your first choice school receives:

• A mid-year report with fall semester grades.
• An official score report from the SAT/ACT that shows any new test scores that you might have received since you submitted your original application.

6. Continue to pursue your second or third choice schools. Even though showing sincere interest may help your application at your first choice school, it is still possible that the admissions committee may not admit you in April. It is hard to predict the nuances of the application pool, which will affect how the admissions committee reviews your individual application.

While it’s okay to be disappointed, remember that there are also many reasons to stay positive. You will get into college, and college is what you make of it. Although you have a “dream school,” if you have done your research well, there are many schools that can fit your needs where you'll be a happy and productive student. Don't give up hope—there's still plenty that you can do after being deferred. Good luck!

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