What happens when you are deferred from a college?

Rather than reject the student, the application is essentially put on pause until the regular decision admission cycle. The student might be a strong applicant, but the school needs more time and information before they can reach a final decision.

Do deferred students get accepted?

What Percentage of Deferred Students Get Accepted? Across all highly selective colleges, about 10% of deferred candidates ultimately earn admission to the school that kicked the can on their candidacies. While this percentage can vary yearly and from school to school, it's a relatively consistent general benchmark.

Is it good to be deferred from a college?

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.

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.

What to do if you are deferred from college?

What to Do if You Get Deferred

Is it harder to get accepted after being 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. However, these estimates are overarching and don't apply to all schools.

Is a deferral basically a rejection?

A rejection means the student was denied admission. However, a deferral means the student's application is still being considered. Being waitlisted, on the other hand, means the student will be admitted if space becomes available. Many perfectly qualified students are rejected, deferred, and waitlisted.

Why do colleges defer students?

Deferring the application to the regular decision candidate pool gives admissions officers more time to thoroughly review it. Sometimes, a deferral means admissions officers want to wait and see how the student's academic performance shapes up in their senior year of high school.

How do you increase chances after being deferred?

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.

Do colleges defer overqualified students?

While there is some anecdotal evidence that overqualified students get rejected, these students aren't usually turned down because of their better-than-average grades or test scores. Most likely, the overqualified student isn't the right fit for a school or they haven't shown enough interest to admission officers.

Do you have a chance if you are deferred?

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.

How long can you defer college acceptance?

Most people who defer their enrollment do so for a period between one semester and one year. That being said, some students have deferred for two years. You can always request a two-year deferral and see what the college says.

What are valid reasons for deferring?

Does Harvard accept deferred students?

Harvard also wants you to consider other options (which we'll get into next). 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.

How do you respond to a deferral letter?

Don't overwhelm them with letters. One letter (or maybe two) from someone who knows you well is all you need. Additionally, you should also include in your message a statement of why you are so interested in attending that institution and reaffirm your commitment to enroll if admitted.

What is a letter to college after deferral?

Here is an example letter: Dear (Director), I received your recent admissions decision of Deferred status concerning my application. Although this was not the decision I was seeking, I remain very interested in becoming a member of [School Name]'s Class of 2026.

How many colleges should one apply to?

There is no magic number, but five to eight applications are usually enough to ensure that a student is accepted into a suitable institution (depending, of course, on the individual student's record and circumstances).

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 people get accepted after being deferred?

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.

Is getting deferred from Brown good?

Brown assesses each application on its own individual merits, but they also have to build a class that is diverse in every sense of the word. If you've been deferred, it's because they like you as an applicant, but they aren't sure they have a spot for you — yet.

Can you reapply to a college after being deferred?

Unless something really substantial changes in the interim, you will be denied admission again if you reapply. If you were not deferred to the regular decision cycle, the school(s) are telling you that they know they would not admit you during the regular decision cycle.

Can you apply to other colleges after deferring?

Yes, because a deferment if granted is a guarantee that you will be admitted in the following year. A deferment does not restrict you from applying to other colleges.

Can you defer after enrolling?

While it's too late to defer your offer once you've commenced your course, you can apply to suspend your studies. See our information on suspending your studies. International students on a student visa can only defer their enrolment on the grounds of compassionate or compelling circumstances.

Why does Harvard defer so many applicants?

Given that more than 60,000 candidates apply from around the world, and the relatively modest size of each entering class (about 1,650 students), the Admissions Committee must act with great care in making Restrictive Early Action Decisions.