Receiving a college deferment means a student has not been accepted for early admission but is still being considered. It can be an opportunity to improve their application or start looking at other options. Contacting admissions and remaining professional can help demonstrate maturity.
Receiving a college deferment can occur when a college applicant attempts to gain admission through a set of advance decisions. While a deferral is not the same as a rejection, it does mean that the student has not been found eligible for early admission decisions and will be considered as part of the larger pool of applications overall. Getting a college deferment doesn’t always mean a student will be rejected from school, but it can be a signal to act on the university’s plans.
Schools that offer early decision programs tend to only accept students who clearly excel in school and extracurricular areas important to the school. While many high-achieving students apply for early admission, many schools accept only a small portion of these applicants. If a student is considered a good candidate for application but does not meet the standards required for early admission, the student may receive a formal letter of deferral. These letters usually state that while the school is unable to offer the student admission at this time, they have not been rejected and will be considered with other applicants generally.
Getting a college deferment can serve as a call to action for some students. As deferrals are typically submitted in November or December, students may have the opportunity to improve their applications with recent accomplishments. If, for example, a high school student who receives a deferment has won a scholarship, improved their grades, or completed some other achievement in the interim, that information can be sent to the deferral school as a means of gentle persuasion. Contacting college admissions departments can be a good way to determine how to submit supplemental information and whether supplements are encouraged.
On the other hand, not all students who receive a deferment will be admitted during general admissions. Receiving a college deferment can also be a signal to start looking into college support plans. If a student defers deferral as an opportunity to focus more on impressing second- and third-choice schools, he or she can establish a strong contingency plan in case the deferral leads to a rejection.
While getting a college deferment may be disappointing, confronting the school about your decision may not be a wise course of action. Even if feelings of anger or frustration are justified, expressing those feelings to the admissions department is unlikely to help a student’s chances in the general pool. Remaining polite and professional while offering to submit supplementary information may not guarantee eventual acceptance, but it can serve as a good way to demonstrate dignified character and a mature mind at work.
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