Deferral

Watch our expert counselors answer some of your most pressing deferral questions and provide insight on what steps deferred students should take next. Check out the recording of the IvyWise Live webinar What to Know About Deferrals: Understanding Deferrals and the Next Steps to Take. For students expecting early decisions this December, it’s easy to imagine how they’ll react to their decisions – whether it’s an acceptance or a rejection.

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. So why was I deferred?

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. Deferrals By The Numbers A deferral is an admissions outcome wherein an early applicant, for various reasons, has been sent to the regular admissions cycle for reevaluation, and will receive a decision in April with the other regular applicants.

Getting deferred from your top choice school is disappointing. But, don't despair! The competition in the early action/early decision applicant pool becomes increasingly intense year after year.

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. What is a Deferral?