If you were deferred by Harvard, you are far, far, far from alone. As fewer and fewer top-tier colleges publish their admissions statistics, Harvard continues to with fairly comprehensive and transparent statistics. In 2021, Harvard deferred 80 out of every 100 students who applied early. 80% of students who applied early were deferred. Again, 80%. Only 7.4% of students who applied early were accepted. So if you applied early, it is much more likely that you were deferred than any other potential outcome.
What is the Difference Between Deferred and Waitlisted?
The college application process is confusing. It’s confusing for parents, it’s confusing for kids, and it’s confusing for Aunt Kathy who asks you intrusive questions at family gatherings like, “So where are you going to college?” We’re here to help lift the fog of confusion and to bring clarity to the whole process, and one of the most frequent questions we’ve been getting lately is:
What Does it Mean to be Deferred from a College?
We want you to get into every college that you apply to, we really do. We want all students to have that low stress, all success, wonderful fuzzy feeling that only a tiny percentage of students applying to college ever get to feel. But that isn’t how it happens for the vast majority of students, so it’s time to plan for how it normally goes, which includes a pinch of frustration, an ounce of rejection, and — ideally — a mighty helping of perseverance. One of the most confusing possibilities in this process isn’t rejection, though, it’s the “eh, maybe later” of deferral.
The University of Chicago Deferral Rate
Deferred from College: Now What?
Getting deferred from your top school can be a gut punch. You worked your butt off, likely with the expectation of getting in. The first thing we recommend you do is to take a breath. (You’re going to be okay!) Keep in mind, while it’s not ideal, it’s not personal. You might just want to sit down and stay down, but you have a little ways to go before you can breathe a sigh of real relief. We recommend following these next steps:
Deferred from Dartmouth Early Decision
We’re guessing you’re here because you got deferred from Dartmouth. We’re sorry that happened, and we encourage you to take some time to yourself to feel your feelings about it. But, if you’re reading this, you probably want to do something about it. Our guide will help you make a strategy for the rest of regular decision, while also sending your last pitch to Dartmouth.
Deferred from Columbia Early Decision
Deferred from Princeton Early Action
If you’re reading this, you probably just got deferred from Princeton. We’re sorry you’re going through this right now. Take some time to process, be a little sad, and treat yourself to a nice coffee or something. This is not the end of the world. In this post, we have a few tips on how to best pitch yourself to Princeton again, and more importantly, how to diversify and expand your college list so you’re prepared no matter what.
Deferred from Yale Early Action
Getting deferred from Yale is hard. Take a moment to feel sad, or angry, or disappointed. Whether you’re feeling paralyzed by your feelings and need someone to help you through this, or you’re a person of action who wants to know exactly what steps you should take next, this guide should help you organize your action plan.
Deferred from Penn (UPenn) Early Decision
We’re very sorry to hear you’ve been deferred from the University of Pennsylvania. We know this is a difficult time, but it’s more important than ever to think about how to maximize your chances of admission. We called Penn to ask about their deferral rates, but they specifically do not provide information on what proportion of applications are deferred each year. We do know, however, that approximately % of those deferred applications are eventually accepted. So, if you’ve been deferred, your chances for admissions are actually higher than those of normal regular-decision applicants. We’re going to talk about how to push your application into that 16%: we’ll outline what to do for the best chances of success.
Deferred from Brown Early Decision
We’re sorry to see you’ve been deferred from Brown. We know this has to be tough -- but if you’re here you probably are trying to do something about it. Take a beat to feel your feelings and give yourself a pep talk, then come right back here for our guide on how to get through these next few weeks.
Deferred from Cornell Early Decision
Getting deferred from your dream school can be hard -- especially if it’s a great school like Cornell. Don’t fear, you’ll get through this. Take a moment to feel your feelings, have a snack, and then jump into this guide to get some ideas on how to best strategize other applications and how to best handle the deferral.
Deferred from Harvard Early Action
So, you’ve been deferred from Harvard. We’re sorry you’re dealing with this right now -- and definitely take some time to process. But if you’re here, you’re probably a person of action, and you want to know what you should do next. Don’t worry, we have some action items that can help you give yourself a fighting chance to get in, and some strategies for applying to other schools too.
Deferred Early Action – Help
It’s just about that time of year when our phones ring off the hook and people start calling us in search of help after being deferred from a dream school. We are here to remind you that yes, even if you got deferred, it’s going to be okay. A lot of students get deferred. It might even be fair to say that most students get deferred. And despite this unfortunate reality, and the feelings that accompany it, you have no choice but to get your life together. It’s time to make a plan, stick to it, and power through the rest of the year. Here’s how:
Is it Better to be Deferred or Waitlisted?
We all know that colleges want a lot of students to apply. They also love low acceptance rates that boost their rankings. What some people don’t understand is that when colleges accept students, they’re doing a bit of gambling. This is why we stress the importance of writing specific, well-researched and thorough supplements. Before you can be admitted, colleges want to know that you’re going to attend the school, go back year after year, and graduate within four years. This pertains to this blog post because whether you’re deferred or waitlisted, you’re put in a sort of holding tank. They’re essentially waiting to see if A) your application will hold up against the rest of the applicants during regular decision, or B) who else says “yes” before they reach out to you.
Can You Apply to the Same College After Being Rejected Early Decision?
In keeping with our miniseries on forging ahead after deferrals and rejections, we’re here to answer a question that we get frequently. In short, no, unfortunately you can’t reapply to the same college during regular decision if you were rejected early decision. This is a harsh reality, and one of the reasons why we always suggest being realistic when it comes to choosing early decision schools. With that being said, the road does not end here.
Does Deferred from College Mean Rejected?
What To Do When You Are Deferred Early Decision: Action Items
Getting deferred Early Decision is a uniquely frustrating experience. You’re not accepted, but you’re also not rejected. You still have a chance, but should you keep your hopes up? You can’t re-do your application, but guidance on what you can do is hard to find. Before we get into what you need to do after being deferred, let’s look at why it happened in the first place.
What Do I Do If I’m Deferred Early Decision?
Should I Defer Freshman Year of College Because of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic?
College decisions are out, and now it is seniors turn to decide where they will enroll for the fall. Colleges across the country have pushed their decision deadline (or deposit deadline) back to June, giving many students a bit more time to decide than usual. It’s good that students have more time, too, because there is more to consider than ever before. We believe that it is entirely possible that many colleges will not start the fall semester with students on campus.