What happens if you defer admission?

A deferment delays your enrollment for up to one year while guaranteeing your spot for the following year. When you choose to defer, it allows you to pursue other opportunities outside of school, such as internships, travel, or the ability to complete mandatory military or national service.

Do deferred students usually get accepted?

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.

What is a good reason to defer admission?

Well, there are all kinds of good reasons to defer admission—ranging from getting a little bit of additional academic preparedness, to raising additional funds for your tuition, to taking a well-planned gap year . Not every university will allow you this option, but there are some solid reasons to consider it.

What happens if I defer my application?

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.

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 if You Get Deferred

What are the chances of getting into a college 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.

Is it better to be 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.

Do I have to reapply after deferral?

As a deferred applicant, you will usually be reevaluated with the Regular Decision applicants automatically. Some schools may ask that you submit more information or a letter stating your continued interest in the school. Make sure you read the deferral letter very carefully so you can follow all instructions!

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.

Why do colleges defer instead of reject?

A student is deferred when they've applied through Early Action or Early Decision and college admissions officers decide that there isn't enough information or context to grant them a full acceptance. Rather than reject the student, the application is essentially put on pause until the regular decision admission cycle.

Why do colleges defer applicants?

Simply put, a deferral is a second chance at admission. This gives colleges the opportunity to make decisions on strong applicants with the whole view of the applicant pool. For many students, this can be an advantage, as the Regular Decision pool is typically not as strong as the early pools.

Why are colleges deferring so many students?

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 do I ask for admission deferral?

I am writing to formally request a deferment of my admission to [University Name] for the [Year] academic year. I am excited to have been accepted into the [Course Name] and am eager to begin my studies. However, due to unforeseen financial difficulties, I am unable to fund my education at this time.

Is it harder to get accepted after being deferred?

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.

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 good to be deferred from a college?

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.

Can you decline after deferring?

Can I turn down a deferred admission offer? You can inform the school that you will not be attending. A deferment is granted after an applicant is given an acceptance offer. If you decide not to attend, you are declining the acceptance offer.

Can a college deny you after acceptance?

Colleges can revoke an admitted student's acceptance at any time. The most common reasons include poor grades, disciplinary infractions, and honor code violations. Students at risk of not graduating high school can have their admission revoked. Colleges typically reach out before revoking an admission offer.

What happens if I get deferred from Harvard?

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 often do deferrals turn into acceptances?

There are estimates that colleges will accept between 5-10% of deferred students during regular decision, but it really depends on the school. The more selective the school, the less likely a deferral turns into an acceptance.

What do you say to someone who got deferred from college?

Can you change your application if you get deferred?

You've already submitted your application; you can't go back and change it now. If you were deferred, it just means they're pushing back your admissions decision to a later date, not that they're tossing your application out so you can start over with the Regular Decision group.

How do you increase chances after being deferred?

Is getting deferred from an Ivy good?

If you've been deferred from the Ivy League, rest assured that you're in good company. In fact, most students who apply early decision or early action end up being deferred until regular decision time. You should also rest assured that students can and do get accepted after being deferred.

Is early decision still binding if you get deferred?

There are positive aspects of a deferral—if you were deferred after applying ED, the binding ED contract to enroll if admitted no longer applies. Instead, the same rules that apply to RD applicants apply to you, as you're now considered an RD applicant.