What to do after receiving a deferral from an EA or ED application

So you’ve received a deferral from your “dream school,” the one to which you applied early because you were ready to sign on the dotted line. What do you do now?

You can simply move on and finish your other college applications or you can let admissions officers know you are still eager to be considered in the next round. 

Here’s some advice on writing a letter of continued interest to a college/university from which you’ve received a deferral:

Read this still timely article from the New York Times college admissions blog, The Choice, “You Got Deferred. Now What?”  Two college admissions deans offer their advice on next steps.

Look over this suggested template for a letter of continued interest from AcademicHelp.Net.

Here are my additional suggestions for drafting a letter:

--Keep it short.  Academic Help suggests a page or less; I think a half page is better.

--Wait to write until you have something new to report—fall semester grades, an award, a completed project, something not mentioned on your college application.

--Don’t wait too late, however.  Time your letter to arrive early in the evaluation period for Regular Decision applicants.

--Be polite, but not stiff.  Make sure your personal voice and passion come through. 

--Be realistic about your chances of selection in the Regular Decision pool.  Many schools defer a large number of candidates from Early Decision, so the likelihood of being selected may be quite small.  Work harder on your remaining applications, making sure the schools you have selected are good fits for you academically and socially.

Good luck!