The Truth About Deferrals: What Actually Helps (and What Doesn’t)

At this time of year, thousands of students opening early admissions portals see a decision that can feel confusing: Deferred. A deferral means the college wasn’t ready to make a final decision and is moving your application into the regular decision pool for another review. While it’s not the “yes” you hoped for, it is not a denial. With so much mixed advice online, it can be hard to know what actually matters after a deferral. Here’s a clear breakdown of what helps—and what doesn’t.

What Actually Helps After a Deferral

1. Strong First-Semester Grades

Your first-semester grades are the single biggest factor that can move the needle. If your grades show an upward trend, or confirm your already strong marks, colleges notice.

In most cases, your high school counseling office will send your midyear transcript, but many schools require the student to initiate the request through an internal form or platforms such as Parchment, Naviance, or SCOIR. At some schools, the student is responsible for ordering the transcript entirely. Either way, it’s your responsibility to confirm that the transcript was sent by checking your admissions portal in early to mid-January. If the college has not received it by mid-January, reach out to your school-based counselor to make sure you’ve taken the correct steps for your school’s process.

2. A Thoughtful, Well-Written Letter of Continued Interest, If Allowed

Unless a college explicitly prohibits it, most welcome a brief, thoughtful letter of continued interest (LOCI). A LOCI is your chance to signal that you’re still highly interested, highlight what you’ve accomplished since applying, and reinforce why the college remains a strong fit. The best LOCIs are specific, concise, and centered on meaningful updates. Before sending one, check your deferral letter, the college’s website, and your applicant portal to see the college’s policy on LOCIs, since following each college’s specific instructions is paramount.

3. Substantive New Achievements

Admissions offices value impact and growth. Strong updates in a LOCI might include:

• Academic awards

• Significant improvements in grades compared to junior year

• Higher SAT or ACT scores

• New leadership roles

• Notable progress in research, creative work, or activities

• Major contributions to a job, project, or initiative

Updates should be significant—not created simply to have something to report. If you are unsure of whether to list something, ask your school-based counselor, independent college counselor, or other trusted advisor.

4. A Stronger Regular Decision Strategy

A deferral is an opportunity to reassess your college list and your strategy for completing any remaining applications. Ask yourself:

• Do I have a balanced set of colleges in terms of likelihood of admission?

• Should I apply to some less selective colleges in regular decision (RD)? Ideally, you have already applied to some likely schools in early action that you are excited about. 

• Do I have a plan to draft and finalize my RD supplemental essays and applications?

Many deferred students end up being accepted at the colleges that deferred them or have other excellent options.

What Doesn’t Help 

1. Sending Minor or Excessive Updates

Admissions officers don’t need or want:

• Updates on routine club participation

• A rewritten personal statement

• Repetitive updates

For most students, one LOCI in January or early February—depending on when the college releases RD decisions—is ideal.

2. Extra Recommendation Letters

Some colleges allow them; many do not. Even when permitted, an extra rec only helps if the writer adds something genuinely new and meaningful, which is uncommon. There are some exceptions—such as Auburn—where deferred applicants can submit a rec letter, supporting statement, and résumé. 

3. Repeated Calls or Emails to Admissions

One polite question may be fine, as long as the information is not readily available via the college’s website, deferral letter, or application portal. Frequent attempts to get noticed are not, and generally will work against you.

4. Having Others Contact the College on Your Behalf

Parents, family friends, or typical alumni contacting admissions rarely helps and can often backfire. Colleges want to hear directly from you, not people lobbying behind the scenes. Only in extremely rare cases—usually involving individuals with longstanding, formal ties to the institution—does outside outreach carry any weight, and even then it cannot replace a strong application.

5. Overinterpreting the Meaning of a Deferral

Some colleges defer many—or, in some cases, all—non-admitted students as part of their normal admissions process, such as Harvard and Georgetown. Others defer very selectively; Stanford and Northwestern are known for deferring a low percentage of applicants. For most colleges, deferral means that you remain a viable candidate, and the admissions committee wants a second look.

Do you have questions after being deferred?

A deferral is a pause, not an ending. Students who respond strategically—with strong grades, a timely and meaningful update, and a polished RD plan—often see excellent results. Many deferred applicants earn admission to that institution in RD, and others find outstanding fits elsewhere. 

Please reach out with any questions about deferrals or any other part of the college planning and admissions process.