So you got deferred. With a college deferral comes many important questions. What does this mean exactly? Is it the same as denial or waitlisted? Do I still have a chance of getting admitted? – This decision of a deferral is basically a college’s way of saying they are interested, but they would like to see a little more from you, which isn’t a bad thing. Now, you have more of a chance to show the college what you’ve accomplished during your senior year so far, which can definitely help with your chances of getting admitted.

An important thing to remember about getting deferred is to not take it personally – College admissions are a competitive process. Thousands of applicants just like you are trying to show a college who they are through multiple essays and short answer questions, paired along with a GPA and standardized test scores. If you get deferred, don’t take it out on yourself. Colleges have many different reasons to defer you, and a lot of them have to do with managing their yield. Many schools will defer early action applicants to regular decision and wait to give a decision because it is easier to manage their enrollment. Don’t worry though,  there is still a chance of getting admitted after you’ve been deferred, and here’s how to increase that chance:

1. Show increased interest – If you get deferred from a school you are seriously considering, it is very important that you show that school how interested you are. The more likely you are to enroll, the more likely your chances are of getting admitted. You can do this by going to visit the campus, interviewing, or getting to know your admissions counselor from that school.
2. Retake standardized tests – Most times your deferral will include certain aspects of your application the admissions committee would like to see improve, most of the time your standardized test scores. Even if they don’t specifically state they would like to see a higher score, retaking another ACT or SAT can only benefit you.
3. Send in 1st Semester grades – Most people don’t realize how important first semester senior year grades really are, especially in this case. If a college is seriously considering admitting you, they will want to see that your grades are being maintained or improving during your senior year. They don’t want to see a sign of senioritis from you, as that will definitely affect your chances of eventually getting in. If you get deferred, it is guaranteed that most schools will want to see your first semester grades.
4. Have a backup plan – Just in case your deferral doesn’t result in an acceptance, make sure your have other schools that you are applying to and can see yourself at. It’s really important to not get completely engulfed in one “dream” school, even if you think you will get in, because you never know what the admissions officers are thinking. It is smart to seek out other “backup” schools in case your first choice doesn’t necessarily work out the way you wanted it to.
5. Maintain positive attitude – This may be the most important tip in what to do when you’ve gotten deferred. Just remember, the college is still interested in you and what you’ve accomplished in high school, they just want you to work a little harder for it!

Deferrals are definitely not the end of the world, and many Academy girls have gotten deferred before and still gained an acceptance in the end, so if you got deferred or get deferred in the future, never lose hope!!