Douglas Olsen
Getting a university application deferred can be disappointing, but it is not a rejection. A deferral means that the university was not ready to make a decision about your application. They may be waiting to see who else applies in the regular decision round, or they may be waiting for updated grades and achievements from the first semester of senior year. Students can take several steps to improve their chances after a deferral, such as providing additional materials, submitting a letter of continued interest, and updating the university on any new grades or accomplishments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Disconcerting for students | A deferral can be confusing and disappointing for students. |
| Not a rejection | A deferral is not a rejection of the application, and students are encouraged to see it as a second chance. |
| Application re-evaluation | Universities may want to see senior-year grades, or wait to see the full applicant pool. |
| Student action | Students can send a letter of continued interest (LOCI), update their grades and achievements, and reaffirm their interest in the university. |
| University action | Universities may ask for updated grades, additional materials, or letters of recommendation. |
| Acceptance rates | 15% of deferred applicants are admitted in the Regular Decision round. |
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What You'll Learn
To wait for senior year grades
Students applying for early admission to universities often get deferred to the regular round. This happens when the university is not ready to make a decision about an application. This could be because they are waiting to see who else applies in the regular decision round, or they are waiting for updates and new grades from applicants in their first semester of senior year.
Universities usually ask for an updated grade report from students who have been deferred. They may also accept additional materials that can add context to a student’s application, such as recommendation letters, updates on extracurricular activities, or a letter of continued interest (LOCI).
A deferral is not a rejection. It means that the university wants to re-evaluate the application in the next round of admissions decisions. It is an opportunity for students to continue to prove their worth to the college or university that issued the deferral. Students can do this by keeping their grades as high as possible and continuing to work hard in school. They should also update the university that deferred them with any new grades, achievements, or accomplishments received after submitting their application.
If a student is unsure about how to respond to a deferral, they may want to write a paper explaining their continued interest in the school. This is a chance to highlight their strengths and what they have accomplished during their senior year.
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To wait for the full applicant pool
When a university defers a student's application, it means that the admissions committee was not ready to make a decision about the application. One of the reasons for this could be that the university wants to wait to see what the full applicant pool looks like.
Universities do not know what their full applicant pool will look like in the early round of applications. Therefore, they will only admit or reject students whose applications they are certain about. Any student about whom they are unable to make a decision or whose application they would like to reconsider after seeing the full applicant pool will likely be deferred.
Deferral decisions can be confusing for applicants. Students who apply early do not have senior-year grades as part of their application, so most deferred students will have their senior-year grades evaluated. Universities may also be interested in other updates and accomplishments from the first semester of the student's senior year.
If a student's application has been deferred, this does not mean that there is anything wrong with their application. It is important for students to remember that a deferral offers them an opportunity to continue to prove their worth to the university. Students can do this by keeping their grades as high as possible and continuing to work hard in school. They can also update the university with any new grades, achievements, or accomplishments that they have received after submitting their application.
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To encourage additional materials
A deferral is not a rejection. It is a second chance for students to highlight their strengths and accomplishments. It is a chance to submit additional materials, such as final semester grades, to see what else the student has been doing during their senior year. This could include a letter of continued interest (LOCI), which is a letter from the student explaining why they are still very interested in attending and why.
Students can also use this opportunity to provide more information on recent accomplishments and grade improvements to boost their application during the Regular Decision round. This is especially important if the student belongs to an overrepresented group or is applying to an oversubscribed major, and the university wants to wait to see what the full applicant pool looks like.
Colleges want to ensure they are building a well-rounded class, and deferring students is one way to do that. It can be a tool to ensure they are making the right decisions about each applicant.
If a student has been deferred, it is important to follow the instructions provided in the deferral letter. Some colleges will explicitly state that students should not send additional materials or information, and it is important to follow these instructions carefully. However, if the college does allow additional materials, students should take this opportunity to submit any new grades, achievements, or other accomplishments that they have received since they applied.
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To build a well-rounded class
A university may defer a student's application to ensure they are building a well-rounded class. This means that the university is not ready to make a decision about the student's application yet. Universities often want to wait and see who else applies in the regular decision round. They may also want to see what updates and new grades applicants receive in their first semester.
Students who apply early often do not have grades for senior-year classes as part of their application. Therefore, most students who are deferred will have their senior-year grades evaluated. Universities may also want to wait to see what the full applicant pool looks like. They may be unsure about an applicant and want to see what other applicants are like before making a decision. This can be especially true if the student belongs to an overrepresented group or is applying to an oversubscribed major.
Deferral numbers differ from school to school, and many universities do not make deferral statistics public. However, some universities have been known to defer a large number of applicants. For example, in 2023, Harvard deferred 80% of the 10,086 students who applied for admission to the Class of 2025. Similarly, MIT deferred 71% of early applicants to the Regular Decision round, totalling 10,673 students.
If a student receives a deferral, this does not mean that there is anything wrong with their application. It is important to remember that a deferral is not a rejection. Instead, it is a second chance to highlight your strengths and accomplishments. Students can continue to prove their worth to the university by keeping their grades as high as possible and continuing to work hard. They can also update the university with any new grades, achievements, or accomplishments received after submitting their application.
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To review the application again
A university deferral means that the admissions committee was not ready to make a decision about your application. This could be because they are waiting to see who else applies in the regular decision round, or they want to see what updates and new grades applicants get in the first semester of senior year. Students who apply early do not have grades for senior year classes as part of their application, so most students who are deferred will have their senior year grades evaluated.
If you receive a deferral, it is important to follow the instructions provided in the letter. Some universities may explicitly state that you should not send additional materials or information, in which case it is important to resist sending anything new. However, some universities will let students submit additional materials like recommendation letters, updates on extracurricular activities, or a letter of continued interest (LOCI). This is a letter from the student explaining why they are still very interested in attending and why.
If you are deferred, it is a good idea to keep your grades as high as possible and continue working hard in school. You should also update the university that deferred you with any new grades, achievements, or accomplishments that you receive after submitting your application. This can help to highlight your strengths and what you have accomplished during your senior year.
If you are unsure about what to do after receiving a deferral, you can ask your college counsellor to give the admissions office a call to find out how close you came to admission. Admissions officers are usually very open about what they want to see from you. You can also sit down with your counsellor to discuss your plan of action and set a plan in motion.
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Frequently asked questions
Universities defer students when they are not ready to make a decision about an application. This could be because they are waiting to see who else applies or they are waiting for updated grades and achievements.
Being deferred by a university is not a rejection. It means that the university wants to re-evaluate your application in the next round of admissions decisions. It is a second chance to highlight your strengths and accomplishments.
If you are deferred by a university, it is important to follow the instructions provided in the deferral letter. You may need to submit additional materials, such as updated grades, recommendation letters, or a letter of continued interest (LOCI). It is also a good idea to reach out to the admissions office to find out how close you came to admission and what else they want to see from you.
