What to Do if You’re Deferred From a College

College decisions are coming in and if you’ve been deferred from an early decision or early action application, it doesn’t mean that college is off the list. You still have a chance to get accepted, but the decision is just delayed until spring.

What Does Deferred Mean?

Deferred means you have just moved to the regular decision pool, and you will be considered along with the other students in the regular decision cycle. This is common with highly selective schools or majors (such as engineering, nursing, or computer science) as they receive an overwhelming number of applications, but the number of spots is still the same. The good news is they still want to consider you, and this gives you a second chance to impress the counselors and boost your application. Deferred is different from waitlist, as that means you’re on a list after all the spots have been filled. Those decisions come much later as schools see who decides to accept the admissions offer, and if they have spots left, they will offer them to the waitlist.

Why Did You Get Deferred?

There could be a number of reasons for a deferral and you probably won’t know which one applies to you, but generally these are the top reasons: 

• To compare you with the regular decision pool. 
• To see your senior grades and ensure you are keeping up with challenging courses and not falling into senioritis
• You’re competitive, but not a top candidate
• To protect their yield and keep a certain number of spots for regular decision

What to Do if You Have Been Deferred

After a deferral letter, immediately do to these things to improve your chances of gaining admission:

• Talk with your school counselor about next steps. 
• Write a letter of interest. This would include highlighting your continued interest in the school, any accomplishments or achievements you have received, and noting if this is the school you would choose to attend if admitted. 
• Improve your grades. Many schools want to see mid-year grades, so boosting them can also help boost your chances of admission.
• Demonstrate interest with the school by attending any events virtual or local and make sure you keep opening emails and follow their social media. (see our tips on how to show demonstrated interest)

While you may be upset by the deferral, it also presents an opportunity to enhance your application and demonstrate that you deserve the spot. However, you also shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Ensure you have a list of other schools to which you are applying, and that it includes a balanced mix of safeties and targets.