You’ve Been Deferred — Now What?
Each December, when Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) results are released, many students encounter a third outcome that can feel more disorienting than either an admit or a deny: a deferral. For families new to selective admissions, the term often carries a sense of uncertainty. It is neither an endorsement nor a rejection of your candidacy.
Understanding what this outcome represents — and what it does not — is the first step toward responding with judgment rather than urgency.
What a deferral is — and what it is not
A deferral means your application will be reviewed again in the Regular Decision (RD) round. The file remains open, and you remain in consideration. But it is important to be clear-eyed: a deferral is not an early signal that admission is likely.
At highly selective institutions, publicly available data show that only a modest percentage of deferred applicants are ultimately admitted in RD. The exact figure varies by school and by year and should never be treated as an individualized forecast. Instead, it provides essential context: this is a moment for disciplined strategy, not for anchoring your entire plan to one uncertain outcome.
Realism, used well, keeps you from narrowing your options prematurely.
What the college is signaling
A deferral indicates that the admissions committee sees meaningful strengths in your application — enough not to close the door — but the file is not yet ready for a final decision. In practice, the committee is looking for additional information:
how your fall academic record develops
how the full RD applicant pool takes shape
how institutional priorities evolve as the class comes together
For you, the implication is straightforward: the file has not fallen short; it is simply unfinished in the eyes of the committee. Your task now is not to reinvent your profile, but to reinforce the academic direction already present in your application.
When your file returns to committee, it should reflect continued momentum, not stasis.
Your next steps — and what they should achieve
Begin with the instructions in your deferral notice. Colleges differ sharply in what they welcome. Some explicitly invite a brief update or a Letter of Continued Interest; others state that no additional materials should be submitted.
Following these instructions precisely demonstrates judgment, respect for process, and the ability to act in accordance with institutional expectations — qualities that matter more than most students realize.
If updates are permitted, they should focus solely on developments that materially strengthen your file:
strong fall grades confirming or elevating your trajectory
notable academic, research, or scholarly outcomes
meaningful awards or distinctions
expanded responsibilities that deepen your existing commitments
Updates should be selective, measurable, and easy to verify. Their purpose is to sharpen the strongest elements of your candidacy, not to overwhelm the reader with volume.
Long lists of minor activities, generic enthusiasm, or emotional appeals rarely influence decisions at this level. They can also signal that a student is reacting out of anxiety rather than strategy.
When a Letter of Continued Interest is allowed
If the college welcomes a letter, treat it as a concise, purposeful memo rather than a persuasive essay. A strong letter will:
Reaffirm that the institution remains your clear first choice (only if this is genuinely true).
Highlight one to two significant developments since you applied.
Connect those developments to the academic direction already established in your file.
The goal is clarity, not volume. The reader should finish with a stronger sense of your academic progression — not simply your disappointment.
Why long-term strategy matters
After a deferral, many students instinctively respond by doing more: adding activities, sending extra materials, rewriting parts of their story. That instinct is understandable — and often counterproductive.
At Ivy Link, we work closely with our student applicants to identify which updates genuinely carry weight at a given institution, frame those updates so they reinforce their existing profile, and ensure that every communication aligns with the longer arc of your application.
This is also where early planning becomes visible. Students who respond most effectively to deferrals are typically those who have spent years — often beginning in 9th or 10th grade — building measurable accomplishments and a coherent academic direction. Their updates are not an attempt to manufacture new achievements in December of their senior year; they are the natural continuation of work already underway.
Maintaining perspective
Because most deferred applicants are not admitted in RD, a deferral should not dominate your planning. Your broader strategy remains essential:
maintain strong academic performance throughout the year
stay engaged with your existing commitments at the level reflected in your application
complete your Regular Decision applications with the same precision you brought to the early round
The long-term benefit is simple: you preserve optionality. By continuing to execute well across all your applications, you protect your ability to choose among strong outcomes in the spring, rather than waiting on a single uncertain decision.
A deferral does not determine your future. It extends the evaluation window — a period that rewards consistency, discernment, and an understanding of where your effort is most effective.
Ivy Link advises families on how to navigate outcomes like deferrals within the broader context of a multi-year strategy. If you want to understand which steps meaningfully strengthen your position, our team can help you map your next actions within your long-term academic and admissions goals.
