Why would a college choose to defer an applicant? I’m trying to understand what factors might lead a college to make this decision, and how it affects my standing in the admissions process.
A variety of factors might contribute to a college deciding to defer an applicant. One reason could be that they need more information. In some cases, colleges may defer students because they want to see more information or updated academic records before making a final decision. This could be due to fall semester grades or additional test scores.
Another reason might be a competitive application pool. During the Early Decision/Early Action round, colleges might defer you if they think your profile is strong, but they also received a large number of equally competitive applications.
Furthermore, demonstrated interest can play a role. Some schools may choose to defer applicants to find out who is truly interested in attending. These colleges will look for signs of demonstrated interest during the Regular Decision round by way of a student continuing to engage with the school (visiting, emailing, interviewing, etc.), after they've been deferred.
Remember, being deferred does not eliminate you from the applicant pool. It merely means that the college will reevaluate your application alongside the Regular Decision applicants. So don't get discouraged. There are still plenty of opportunities to strengthen your application before final decisions are made in the spring.
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