As early action and early decision results come out, four outcomes befall students: they can be accepted, rejected, waitlisted, or deferred to the regular decision round. The first two are straightforward, no further action is needed from the student; and we have an article on what to do if you’ve been waitlisted. Getting deferred, however, is a different proposition, one we will discuss in this article.
We will cover what getting deferred means, and how it impacts your chances of admission. We will then cover what you can do as a deferred student to improve your chances of acceptance, namely writing a letter of continued interest. This is how you can update a college on your exploits, and let them know that they remain your top choice. Let’s get started!
What is A Deferral?
When your application is deferred, it means that it will be reconsidered with the regular decision applicants. This does not mean that your application will go through the whole process again, but that it will be considered in pools alongside the students who have applied regular decision.
When admissions officers consider applications, they are first reviewed by one (or two) admissions officers, and are then gone over by the full committee. The committee makes its decisions based on the recommendations of the first two officers. Some students are clear rejects, others are clear admits. The ones in the middle create more problems; this is where waitlists and deferrals come in.
Waitlisted students have the academic potential to succeed in the school, but admissions officers don’t believe there is space in the admitted class for them. Many more qualified students apply than there are spaces in the class.
A deferral means that you are well qualified, but admissions officers don’t know how you will fit into the finalized admitted class. Admissions decisions aren’t just made on the basis of individuals, but on the class as a whole. After all, a college can’t just admit only biology and English majors; what would all the other departments do without students?
Thus deferred students are well qualified, but admissions officers want to see the full shape of the class before making admissions decisions. Your application will be reviewed by the committee again when they have a better idea of what the finished class may look like, and what your place in it may be.
What does Deferral Mean for your Admissions Chances?
This is difficult to say. On the one hand, if you are deferred instead of rejected or waitlisted it means you are fully qualified for the school academically, and have an interesting profile as well. However, your story or accomplishments are not quite what they are looking for in order to offer an acceptance immediately.
Simply being fully qualified for a school puts you ahead of a significant number of applicants, usually around half. From here, however, it becomes more complicated.
The issue is that what each college is looking for when building a class varies, both between colleges and year-to-year, so you have no idea which of your talents or traits may catch their eye or make the difference in the end. Maybe they need an extra saxophonist; if you’re the best who applied through both rounds then you’re in, but if your talents are in the cello instead, then you’re out of luck.
Overall, deferral means there is still a chance of getting accepted to a school, but there is no way to know how big or small that chance is. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your chances of receiving an acceptance letter.
Writing a Letter of Continued Interest
A letter of continued interest is how you let a college which deferred your application know that you are still interested in attending, and lets you update them on anything you have accomplished in the intervening time.
This letter can be uploaded through your student portal, or sent directly to admissions via email. Different schools have different policies, so we recommend checking the school’s admissions page directly for guidance on how to submit these letters. They are generally due in mid-February (which is when the initial review of applications has finished, and committee reviews are beginning, and thus when admissions officers will be directly considering your application again), but some schools have earlier or later deadlines to contend with.
This letter consists of three main sections; an introduction, an overview of new accomplishments, and an outro. These letters are generally a page long, or a little over, depending on how much you have accomplished. You want to fully cover all relevant information without overwhelming admissions officers; they have a lot to read already, and will not thank you for unnecessary labor added to their plate.
The introduction should express your continued interest in attending the college, and thank the admissions office for reviewing your materials. Be respectful in your tone, but specific with your intent; if the school was and remains your top choice, say so. The introduction should be brief and to-the-point.
The majority of your letter should be spent describing your accomplishments in the time since your application, and making note of any major achievements. Here are things to consider including:
- Major awards won, either in academics or other extra-curriculars.
- Projects you are working on outside of school with a major impact, such as building an app or new invention.
- Continued high academic achievement in your senior year; schools like to see this, and some students who are admitted may have those rescinded if their grades plunge in their senior year.
- Other connections you’ve made to the university, including contact with individuals, alumni, student groups, faculty, or staff. For bonus points, explain how these interactions have enhanced your desire to attend and helped you envision your “landing pad” of activities you’ll undertake once accepted.
It is important to tie these in with a continued desire to attend the school in question, and to provide examples of why you are a good fit based on your achievements and desires for the future at the school. The only reason to do this is if a school is your first choice, and it should be clear to them that they are.
You have had around three months (November, December, and January) since your original application; schools do not expect you to achieve the world in this time frame, but any accomplishments you do have should be reported upon. These can give you an extra edge in admissions, as all deferred students are on the edge between admission and rejection.
If you do not have any major accomplishments in this time frame, then it is generally not worth sending a letter of continued interest. You should only send a letter if it contributes meaningfully to your application, and sheds new light on what you may contribute to campus. More minor accomplishments will not move the needle for you.
Finally, the outro should firmly state your intention to attend if you are admitted, and thank the admissions office again for their time and effort. You should not be effusive in your praise, but instead politely thank admissions officers for their time and effort on your behalf.
Final Thoughts
Getting anything other than an acceptance can feel crushing; as if all your work and effort was for nought, dreams drying up in an instant. A deferment is not the end of the line however, and many students who are deferred to the regular round are admitted each year. That said, many are not. We hope that this article has shown you how you can improve your own chances of admission, and given insight into the often opaque world of college admissions.
We know well how confusing college admissions can be, and have long experience guiding students through the twisting paths to acceptance. If you want our help in composing a letter of continued interest, or want to hear how else we can help you with your own admissions journey, schedule a free consultation today. We’re always happy to hear from you.
