The D Word: Why Was I Deferred from a Likely School?

So, you were a strong student, with a profile that should have screamed "admit," yet you were deferred from your early action college that was intended to be a ‘more likely’ based on their admitted student profile. And now you're probably thinking, "What did I do wrong?"

When you apply to a college through early action, you're basically telling the college, "Hey, I'm interested in attending your school” but not it’s an emphatic, all caps, PLEASE ACCEPT ME. If the college is not 100% certain that you'll attend, or if you’re a really strong student and they suspect that they are your backup, and they think it’s actually very unlikely you will attend, they might defer your application, EVEN if you thought it would be an easy slam dunk.

So, what does a deferral mean in this case? It means that the college wants to take a closer look at you before they make a final decision. They want to ensure you really are as interested in attending their school as they are in having you as a student.

I often ask bewildered students in such a situation one simple question, "If you had been admitted, would you attend?" And, almost every single time, they answer "no!"

So, there you have it. The college was right to defer your application because they were not sure you would attend, and you likely did not demonstrate much interest.

So, I advise you to take this deferral as a sign to show the college that there is a chance you might attend! Reach out to the admissions office, visit the campus, sign up for admissions events, open their emails, and make sure you demonstrate your eagerness to be a part of their community.

A deferral is not the end of the world or a rejection. It's a wonderful opportunity to get a second chance, to show the college you are interested in attending.