Is it rare to get deferred?

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. Start here for ideas on what to do next in 2024.

What are my chances if I get deferred?

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.

Is getting deferred a good thing?

You might feel like you've been rejected if you receive a deferral, but all it means is that your application will be reviewed again in the Regular Decision round. There is nothing wrong with your application, but you may need to submit more information to the admissions committee.

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.

Is it bad if your application is deferred?

A deferral means the college wants to review your application again with the regular decision pool of applicants. While it might feel like a rejection, a deferral is not a denial, nor does it mean there was something wrong with your application.

What to Do if You Get Deferred

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.

Is deferred worse than waitlisted?

A deferred applicant will be considered again before any reconsideration is provided to a waitlisted applicant. As such, being waitlisted at a school is worse than a deferral because the institution has decided not to admit you unless other applicants decline their admission offer and seats become available.

How common is deferral?

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.

Why are so many people getting deferred?

There are a number of reasons why a student applying Early Decision or Early Action might have been deferred to the regular round. Many times, it's to encourage students to provide additional materials, like final semester grades, in order to see what else that student has been doing during their senior year.

Why are so many students getting deferred?

Colleges defer applications for several reasons. In some cases, a deferral indicates that the admissions department isn't ready to make a final decision about a candidate. Deferring the application to the regular decision candidate pool gives admissions officers more time to thoroughly review it.

What should I do if I get deferred?

Is it good to be deferred from an Ivy?

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.

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.

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.

Can you get scholarship after being deferred?

Merit-based scholarships generally do not change if you defer your enrollment a year. Need-based grants and scholarships tend to only be affected if your family's financial situation changes during your gap year.

What are the chances of getting into Harvard after being deferred?

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.

Is getting deferred from Harvard good?

Being deferred by Harvard does not mean that you are not a strong candidate for an elite school. If you were totally unqualified, they would have rejected you, but being in a pool of thousands of deferred students isn't too reassuring either.

Does getting deferred hurt your chances?

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 most people who get deferred get accepted?

SILVER LINING. Unfortunately, schools ultimately don't accept many of the students they defer. As a rule of thumb, most schools accept only 5-10 percent of deferred students. And though early round admission rates are much better than regular they are still extremely competitive.

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.

Why do colleges defer students?

Colleges defer students because they are not ready to make a final decision, may have had a large number of early applications or may expect a large number of applications in the Regular Decision round and want to keep spots open for the right candidates. It does not mean an automatic rejection at all.

Is being deferred better than being rejected?

First things first: deferred does not mean rejected. It also doesn't mean waitlisted. It means that your application is being moved to the regular decision applicant pool. In other words, the college wants to wait to see who else will apply before they decide whether or not to accept you.

How long does it take for a college to accept or reject you?

The date by which you apply will vary by your application plan. If you apply under an earlier plan, you'll probably get your decision earlier, too. But in general, it usually takes admissions offices 1-2 months to return your admissions decision.

How likely are you to get off a college waitlist?

While many colleges will waitlist hundreds or even thousands of students, not all of those students will accept a spot on the waitlist, making the pool and the chances of getting in slightly better in some cases. According to NACAC, 20% of all students who chose to remain on waitlists were ultimately admitted.