Getting deferred from Columbia is hard, especially when you put in so much work on your application. It’s okay to feel defeated, be a little sad, and take some time to process. But if you’re here, you’re probably ready to take action and figure out a plan for regular decision. 

For the , 650 students were accepted ED to Columbia - which was about 10% of the total applicants. Their also states they had a 3.9% admit rate for 2025 as well. So very competitive, but don’t fear. According to , “If you are deferred under the Early Decision plan, a final decision on your candidacy will be made with the Regular Decision applicant pool, and you will be notified by April 1. We encourage deferred candidates to update us in the winter with mid-year grades and any significant new achievements.” Which crazy coincidence, is basically what we’re going to tell you to do in the latter half of this post.  

We have some tips to help you get through the deferment, best strategize for regular decision, and how to pitch yourself to Columbia once more. Let’s get started.

College List

Okay, so hopefully you didn’t put all your eggs in the Columbia basket and hopefully, you applied to at least ten other schools to help maximize your chances. But if you didn’t, we have the plan laid out for you. First, you need to come up with your college list. You want to pick at least three safety schools, four target schools, and three reaches. If you don’t know how to determine this, check here. 

When making your college list, think about the qualities you want in a school. If NYC was a big draw for you for Columbia, look at other schools in the city. If size, or academic programs, or culture were your draws, look at other schools that have similar metrics. By doing this research, you’ll find out whether or not you could be really happy at the school you choose -- which is what matters most. 

Supplements

Now that you have your list, you should take a look at all the supplements for each school. You’ll notice some themes pop out because colleges lack creativity and all ask the same questions. Thankfully, this means you’ll be able to work smarter, not harder, to get these knocked out. On our blog, we have tons of posts about each individual college’s supplements, but we also have guides on how to brainstorm your essays too. It’s best to dive right in and get some words down on paper. It’s okay if it’s bad, because you’ll want to do 3-4 rounds of editing, plus have some friends and family take a look at them too.

Before submitting, make sure to talk to your guidance counselor about your new plan and follow up with the teachers who gave you recommendations to Columbia to see that they’re still able to do your recommendations for your new applications. Don’t forget to send test scores and transcripts!

Deferral Letter

Okay. The real reason you’re here! How can you best maximize your chances of getting into Columbia? By writing a letter. 

You want to start off by updating Columbia about what you’ve worked on since applying. Maybe you finished a huge research project, or landed an internship, or got team captain. Don’t brag and don’t just send a laundry list of accomplishments, pick one or two and expand upon them. The next part of your letter will be you pledging your undying loyalty to Columbia. They care about their yield rate (the number of students they accept that end up enrolling), so make sure it’s clear that if accepted to Columbia, you will attend.

Have a few friends, teachers, or family members look over your letter. Make sure it isn’t too wordy -- anything over 350 will seem tedious. Check for grammar and clarity, then send it off to Columbia’s admissions department.

Now, you just have to wait. But know that you’ve done everything you can.

If you’re stuck with your college list, or your supplements, feel free to reach out to us here to get connected to one of our counselors.