The College Admissions Scoop: Deferred - What Does It Mean ?

By Marilyn G.S. Emerson, M.S.W., C.E.P. and Jana Jett Loeb

Note to Parents: If your son or daughter has been deferred from an early program, s/he is probably experiencing a combination of relief and confusion, and you might be too. What does it mean, exactly, and what is the best way to proceed? Hopefully these next two posts will help your child make sense of a deferral decision as well as understand the appropriate next steps.

If you have been deferred from an early program, you are probably feeling a combination of disappointment and confusion. While you would have wished for a definitive acceptance and might find it hard to imagine waiting throughout the next coming months for another decision from the same school, you probably also feel a sense of hope that when your application is reconsidered, you may yet be admitted in April.

An important thing to know is that a deferral is not a disguised “no.” Colleges have every intention of reconsidering your application in the context of the wider applicant pool during regular decision. In fact, they have chosen to hold off on making a final decision until they can see the full context in which your application is situated in their pool. That said, it is also important to be realistic about your chances of admission at this point. While you will certainly receive another review by the committee, your chances of admission are now lower. It is fair to continue to hope for a positive response from the school, and indeed, students can be admitted after being deferred. However, it is also important not to focus primarily on your early school.

The best way to proceed after a deferral is to move forward with the rest of your applications. Be sure to compile all of your materials for the other colleges to which you are applying, and to submit your applications as soon as possible. Doing so will help you to avoid any last-minute problems. It will also help you feel more secure about your college plans while you are in somewhat of a limbo phase with your early choice school.

While a deferral is a disappointing middle ground, be sure to keep things in perspective. You should put your best foot forward, both with the school from which you received your decision and also with your other applications. Most importantly, you must continue to maintain impressive accomplishments as the year continues!

Note: Our next blog will contain information on how to be proactive with your ED school after a deferral.