Q:  I was deferred from my early action school. I really thought that I would get in. What should I do now?

A:  For many students, deferral seems like being in limbo – “do they want me or not?” Deferrals, however, can sometimes provide a second chance for those who understand the process. 

When a college informs you that your application has been deferred, they are often saying, in effect, that they’d like more information before they make a final decision. Sometimes, they want to know more about you as an applicant: Are you really interested in attending if you get in? Is your upward grade trajectory going to continue? Will you have additional test scores to consider? On the other hand, sometimes it’s the college that wants to do some more data gathering: What is the regular decision pool going to look like? Will they make their targeted numbers? Do they want to avoid taking too many students early? We’ve even heard of admission offices deferring applicants that they simply couldn’t get to read because of an unusually high number of applications.

Of course, you don’t know which scenario is the reason why you were deferred, so it’s probably best to assume the first. Read the deferral letter carefully and follow the directions that they give you. Some schools ask you not to send any additional letters or documentation. Others ask for updates. If they do, sending improved grades in challenging courses is definitely a plus! Be sure that your senior year grades reflect your hard work, and ask your school counselor to send updated marking period grades to the college as soon as they are ready. You can also ask a senior year teacher to write a letter on your behalf if this teacher can comment positively on your continued growth and achievement.

Next, send updates of significant new achievements that occur during your senior year: perhaps a copy of an article you wrote for your local newspaper or an honor or award you received. 

Finally, review the list of colleges to which you applied. Check to be sure that your list is realistic and that you’ll have choices in the spring… and remember that for every student, there are many schools that offer a perfect fit.