What are Deferral Rates at Top Colleges?

When you apply to a college early, there are a number of things they can do with your application. They can either admit you, reject you, waitlist you, or most confoundingly, defer you. In the first two cases your stress is over. You may or may not have gotten the result you want, but at the very least you don’t have to worry about that particular college anymore. In the case of deferral, however, the fun is just beginning. 

In this article, we’re going to explore what deferment is and what it means, including a look at the deferment rates at top colleges (at least at those which publish that information). Then we’re going to answer a much more important question: what should you do if you’ve been deferred? Let’s find out!

What Does it Mean to be Deferred? 

When a college admits you, they’re saying they think you would be a good fit for their campus and programs. When they deny you, they’re saying that they think you would thrive better somewhere else (even if you happen to disagree). When a college defers you, however, they’re saying they need more time and context to consider your application. 

A deferred applicant is neither admitted nor denied, but is instead put on hold, and will have their application considered again in the regular decision round. This is because colleges think you can be a good candidate for their school, but want to consider your application inlight of everyone else who applies in the regular decision round. 

On the one hand, this is a positive sign, as it indicates that the college believes you are fully qualified to attend. On the other, colleges must deny a great many qualified students every year, as the number of qualified applicants to top schools far outstrips the number of seats available to be filled. Thus getting deferred is having your application put on hold for a while, with your final results to be revealed to you only at a later date. 

Deferment Rates at Top Colleges

We will now examine the deferment rates at top colleges. Note that not all schools have released this data yet, so this chart will be incomplete in places. Some schools also release only some aspects of this data; we will include it where and as available. 

Note that a significant number of these schools have decided not to release acceptance rates or other admissions data during the admissions cycle beginning this year; this does somewhat limit how much information we have been able to include on this table. Further, a number of universities haven’t released any data at all yet, even if they plan to later. 

So this is less information than we prefer, but it can still tell us a few things. First, applying early is still popular, but less so at schools that have ended their test optional admissions policies. It will be interesting to see if that continues in the regular decision round, and if schools which have remained test optional see any bumps in their application numbers. 

Next, early acceptance rates, where they have been announced, remain notably higher than regular decision acceptance rates. This follows long established trends; colleges tend to admit around half of each class in the early round, which also sees far fewer applicants than the regular round. The increase in acceptance rates in the early round follows from this. There are exceptions, such as Caltech, but the trend is generally applicable. 

Finally, deferral rates are quite low, often in the same ballpark as acceptance rates. While even fewer schools have reported this than acceptance rates this year, what we know from past years is that deferral rates tend to be quite low; usually schools know exactly what to do with a student when they apply, so deferral is only done for a handful of students each year.

What to do if You’ve Been Deferred

So if you are one of these students who has been deferred, what comes now? First, know that if you applied through a binding early decision program, that no longer applies; the college may still choose to admit you, but if they do, you are not bound to attend. Of course, many students do anyway, since a school you apply to early decision is generally your top choice, but know that it is no longer binding. 

Next, you should make sure you have applications ready for other schools by the time admissions deadlines come around. You do have a chance to get accepted if you’ve been deferred, and we will cover how to maximize that, but it isn’t a sure thing. You want to make sure that you have the best chance of attending a great college next year, and that means applying to more before the deadline passes. 

You should consider writing a letter of continued interest to a school that has deferred you. These letters serve to update admissions officers on what you have been doing, and to reaffirm your interest in attending their school in particular. These are not always necessary, but if a school is your top choice, we recommend writing one. 

Your Continued Interest Letter

The letter you write to the admissions office is crucial. View it as your opportunity to present your case for admission to a school one last time. The letter should consist of three primary sections: the introduction, an overview of new accomplishments, and the conclusion. An important note: many schools have specific portals for uploading these letters. Research each individual school to find them, and only send the letter directly to the admissions office if you’re sure the school doesn’t have a specific portal. 

Writing your letter

The introduction should be direct and concise. Express your continued interest in attending the school, and thank the admissions office for reviewing your materials. Keep your tone respectful and polite throughout. 

The majority of your letter should be devoted to describing all your post-submission accomplishments. Some examples are:

• Major awards won, either in academics or other extracurriculars. 
• Projects you are working on outside of school with major impact potential, such as an app or new invention you’re developing.
• Continued high academic achievement in your senior year; schools really like to see that you have continued to excel even after submitting college applications. 

Beyond this information, it’s crucially important to reiterate your continued desire to attend the school in question. Provide examples of why you are a good fit based on your achievements and future goals. Remember, the only reason to go through this process is if a school is truly your first choice, and you should make this very clear. 

The outro should firmly state your intention to attend if you are admitted. End by thanking the admissions office once more for their time, effort, and consideration.

Final Thoughts

As schools send out their early round decisions, students receive news that is either fulfilling or heartbreaking. Deferment is another stress on students, who thought their waiting and worrying had come to an end, and now receive word that they must instead wait another few months to know for sure where they will spend the next years of their life.

We hope this article has helped you understand what deferment means for your chances of admission, and what steps you can and should take next. If you’re looking for help writing a letter of continued interest, or in reworking your applications in time for the regular decision deadline, schedule a free consultation with us today to learn how we can make your life easier, and help you maximize your chances of admission. We’ve helped hundreds of students get into their top choice schools, and are always happy to hear from you.