READ: 4 MIN
Let’s focus on the positive: the college does see enough potential in your application that they would like to reevaluate it again during the regular decision cycle. You may not rewrite your essays, redo your interview, redo your entire application. However, there are some steps to proactively take.
Deferred is the limbo of college admissions - you aren't accepted, but you aren’t rejected either. It’s the most annoying decision out there because it lacks the clarity of why you were deferred. You don’t know if your essay rubbed the reader the wrong way or if the admission committee wants to see how the first semester of Calc BC turns out. All you know is that you were deferred so the institution can reconsider your application alongside the regular admission candidates.
Determine what the college requires, what’s appropriate to provide, and heed those preferences.
All you need to know about what you are able to send is explained in the deferral letter. Some colleges might request specific information, like an updated grade report or test scores. Other colleges might encourage students to submit additional materials like recommendation letters, updates on extracurricular activities, or a deferral letter. Students should determine what the college requires, what’s appropriate to provide, and heed those preferences.
If a college explicitly states that deferred students should not submit additional application materials, then do not send in anything else. Students can ruin their chances in the regular round by not following directions.
If the college allows you to send additional materials, the best thing to do is write a letter of continued interest addressed to the admissions representative at the college who evaluates applicants from your high school and copy the dean of admissions.
The letter should:
Show your commitment to the school by articulating 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, state that the college remains a top choice for you.
Re-state your reasons why that school best fits your academic and personal needs by referencing specific professors, courses, extracurricular activities, and research opportunities that show your knowledge of the school. This is one of the most important parts of the letter.
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. Updates can include what you are looking forward to during the second semester, including classes, traditions you can partake in, travel if service-related. You should be upbeat and do not show signs of disappointment or frustration. Also, you should only include new distinctions if they are truly meaningful. And it’s OK if you don’t have any. Re-hashing the same stuff will make it seem like you’ve done nothing new so it’s better not to include it at all.
In addition to the letter, make sure your school is prepared to send a mid-year report with your fall grades when available. If you’ve tested since you applied in the early round, submit an official score report with those scores.
Even though showing sincere interest may help your application at your early decision or early action school after a deferral, it is still possible that the admissions committee may not admit you in the spring. It is hard to predict the nuances of the application pool, which will affect how the admissions committee reviews your individual application.
We can’t stress this enough: find out what the college needs from you. Every college advisor has a story about that one student, that one year who sent more than the college asked for and ultimately was denied. They are telling you exactly what they want — and if you send more, it might not be positive.
