Getting deferred from your top-choice school can be disappointing, but don’t despair! There are a number of steps that students can take after a deferral to improve their admission chances in the regular round.

When making admissions decisions, colleges and universities in the U.S. don’t just look at grades and test scores. There is a myriad of factors that admissions officers consider when evaluating college applications, and it’s important to understand what colleges are looking for in order to have the best chance of admission to your top-choice colleges.

While it is disappointing not to have an acceptance in hand, a deferral does not mean that you’re out of the admissions race! In fact, a deferral should be considered a second chance to highlight your strengths and what you have accomplished during your senior year.

As early application decisions are released this December, some students may encounter a strange outcome that isn’t as clear-cut as an acceptance or denial — a deferral. This can be a confusing end result after working so hard on your early application, but luckily there’s a lot you can do to understand exactly what a deferral means and how to improve your chances of admission.

For students expecting early decisions, it’s easy to imagine how they’ll react to their admissions outcomes — whether it’s an acceptance or a rejection. But there’s another possibility on the table that many students forget to prepare for: a deferral.