Waitlisted or Deferred: Which one's better?

Okay, so I'm a current junior, and I've seen terms like 'waitlisted' and 'deferred' a lot. I'd like to clear this up so I know what to expect: in the college admissions process, is it better to be waitlisted or deferred?

The terminology 'deferred' and 'waitlisted' represent different stages of the college admission process, and whether one is better than the other can vary based on the context.

When an applicant applies to a college under their early action or early decision program, they could be deferred. Deferral means the college has decided to push your application into the regular decision pool for further review. It's important to note that a deferral is not a denial.

While it may be disappointing at first, remember that you're still in the running for acceptance and your application will be reconsidered with the regular decision applications. At this stage, it's a good idea to demonstrate continued interest in the school and provide any updates to your application, such as new awards, improved grades, or additional letters of recommendation.

On the other hand, being waitlisted occurs during the regular decision round of admissions. This happens when you meet the school's admission criteria but the school has already extended the number of offers it usually does. Essentially, they put you on standby and if an admitted student decides not to take their place, the spot can then be offered to someone on the waitlist. Being on the waitlist can be uncertain, as you won't know your final admission decision until very close to or after May 1, which is the common deadline for students to confirm their enrollment.

So in terms of what's 'better', it depends. A deferral gives you an additional chance for consideration during regular decision, while being waitlisted means you qualified for admission but the school's capacity is likely met. And remember, outcomes can vary significantly from school to school, and from year to year. It's always a good idea to have a range of reach, match, and safety schools on your list to increase your chance of acceptance somewhere you'd like to be!