Do deferred applicants have a better chance?

Some estimates say that most colleges will accept at least 5-10% of deferred students in regular decision pools. Others estimate that the deferral acceptance rate is often approximately equal to the regular decision acceptance rate. However, these estimates are overarching and don't apply to all schools.

How likely is it to get accepted after being deferred?

An applicant's overall chances are similar after being deferred or waitlisted. About 10% of deferred applicants and about 10% of waitlisted applicants ultimately get in.

Do deferred applicants have an advantage?

For many students, this can be an advantage, as the Regular Decision pool is typically not as strong as the early pools. A deferral also provides students the opportunity to show an improvement in grades, especially if they're taking a challenging senior year course load.

Is it better to get rejected or deferred?

One step better than a rejection is a deferral. Students should think of deferral as a 'maybe'. Sometimes early admission college applicants are neither accepted nor rejected. Instead, the applicants are held until the general application deadline has passed.

Is it better to get deferred or waitlisted?

In general, you can assume that your odds are better if you've been deferred rather than waitlisted. Deferred students are reconsidered during the regular decision round and should have about the same chance as other regular decision applicants.

What to Do if You Get Deferred

How do you increase chances after being deferred?

Is getting deferred from an Ivy good?

A deferral is simply an indication that the admissions committee intends to evaluate your application in the regular decision round—your hopes of attending your dream school may still be realized.

Does getting deferred hurt your chances?

Being deferred from college doesn't mean you've been denied acceptance. Being waitlisted means you are on a list reserve because spots are filled. Very selective colleges defer as many as 70-80% of early applicants. If you take important steps, you still have a chance for admissions.

Do most people who get deferred get rejected?

Again, keep in mind, a deferral is not a rejection! As previously discussed, an average of 10% of these students were admitted during the Regular Decision application cycle.

Can you get into Yale after being deferred?

5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred by Yale

It could have been worse, and if you play your cards right, you still have a shot of getting into Yale in Regular Decision. Complete a PostMortem application review to understand what went wrong, what went right, and what changes you should make for Regular Decision schools.

Do colleges defer overqualified students?

It's important to note that most of the stories and rumors surrounding overqualified students getting rejected are anecdotal. No school has actually admitted to turning down students because they are overqualified.

What to do after getting deferred from college?

Why does Harvard defer so many applicants?

When you apply in the early action pool, Harvard will deny, defer, or accept your application. Getting “deferred” just means that Harvard still thinks you're pretty neat-o and wants to look at your application again during the regular decision pool.

How many people get deferred then accepted to Harvard?

Historically, about 10% of students who Harvard defers ultimately earn admission in Regular Decision. While this data point can vary from year to year, it's rarely released by the school. But, over the years, Ivy Coach's sources in Harvard's admissions office have confirmed that 10% is the general rule of thumb.

Can you get deferred and then waitlisted?

If you receive a deferral letter, it means the school will review your application again at a later date and decide to accept, decline, or waitlist you at that time.

Can you get into Harvard after being deferred?

Students do get in after a deferral, so your chances aren't zero, but given the regular decision acceptance rate — 3.45% overall — the probability isn't good. If they loved your application before, they would have offered you a spot.

Why are so many students getting deferred?

Often, applicants are deferred because the school wants the opportunity to see how students will utilize their last year of high school, if they're maintaining (or improving) their grades, and accomplishing other milestones through their extracurricular involvement.

How many colleges should you apply too?

In general, most students apply to between 8 and 12 colleges. This is a good range to aim for, provided that the applications you submit represent a broad variety of colleges. Ideally, you want to apply to at least two safety, four target, and two reach schools.

Can you get rejected Early Action or just deferred?

Applying early action has three possibles outcomes: acceptance, denial, or deferred admission. The admissions office may defer your application if you're not a candidate for early action. In that case, the admissions panel will reevaluate your application with the regular decision applicants.

How long can you defer college acceptance?

It's a way to defer, or push back, your entry to college. For example, if you're admitted to the fall semester, you can defer your admission to the following fall. Deferral is usually for a year or less. Many students defer so they can take a break from studies after high school.

What to do after being deferred by Harvard?

However, if you are able to supplement your application with additional extracurricular achievements, continued perfect grades, and/or improved test scores, you may elevate your profile to one that can get you accepted in the RD pool. Extracurricular achievements are the most important things in this situation.

What percent of MIT applicants get deferred?

Yes, since MIT's Early Action deferral rate has been between 64% and 73% over the last several years, a figure that is higher than many of MIT's Ivy League peers, there's no beating around the bush that an MIT deferral doesn't carry quite as much weight as, say, a Brown University deferral.

How many people get deferred from Yale?

Over the past few years, colleges that offer early paths to admission have gotten into the habit of deferring the vast majority of early applicants — but there are a few exceptions. Yale is one of them. In 2021, Yale deferred 31% of early applicants, while denying 57% and accepting just under 11%.

What are good reasons for deferral?

How many people does Princeton defer?

In recent years, Princeton has liked to play coy about its admissions statistics. But before the school ceased releasing Early Action figures, in the first half of the 2010s, around 78.9% of Early Action applicants to the Ivy League institution received deferrals and 21.1% received outright rejections.