Waitlist vs Deferred: Which is Better?

So I'm a little confused. I've been hearing a lot about waitlisting and deferment in college admissions. Is one situation better than the other? Can anyone explain how these two work?

Sure, I'd be happy to clarify the differences between being deferred and being waitlisted in the college admissions process.

Being deferred generally happens when you apply to a college through its Early Action or Early Decision program. If you get deferred, it means that the admissions committee didn't choose to accept or reject you early on. Instead, they've moved your application into the pool of Regular Decision applicants. It's not necessarily a bad thing because it means you're still in the running. Being deferred is mostly a sign that the admissions committee wants to evaluate your application alongside the rest of the applications.

On the other hand, being waitlisted happens after the Regular Decision round. This means the college has already accepted the number of students it needs for its incoming class, but they've also put some students on a waitlist in case spots in the incoming class open up (for instance, if some accepted students decide to go elsewhere). If you're waitlisted, you won't know if you're accepted until well into the summer, which can be pretty nerve-wracking.

Whether deferral or waitlisting is 'better' depends on your perspective. If you're deferred, you still have a shot at being accepted, but you'll have to wait longer to find out. If you're waitlisted, you also have an opportunity for acceptance, but the chances are usually rather slim since it depends on how many accepted students decline their offer.

In both cases, you can take active steps. If deferred, it might be helpful to send the college any updated information that might boost your application such as improved grades, new extracurricular achievements, or an additional recommendation. If you're waitlisted, you can consider writing a letter of continued interest to reaffirm your desire to attend the college - but keep in mind, don't do this unless you're genuinely interested and would absolutely attend if accepted. At the end of the day, keep exploring your other college acceptance offers and be open to other opportunities.