How do I get in after being deferred?
I applied ED to Bowdoin and was deferred, but it's still my top choice college. I sent a letter of continued interest and I asked my guidance counselor to set up a phone call about why I was deferred (they never got back to her though). I missed the deadline for an interview because it was like November 1 and I asked about doing an interview in late November and they said no. I have taken the ACT/SAT since applying and improved my scores.
What else can I do to strengthen my applicant profile at Bowdoin to make sure I get accepted to Bowdoin in the RD round? Please help!
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1 answer
At this point, you could be doing more harm than good in my opinion if you keep contacting them.
If you were deferred, I wasn't because you are not a good student but perhaps because there were other applicants that had other attributes that fit Bowdoin's unique and particular goals to fill out their Class of 2025 a certain way. You shouldn't take any college admissions acceptance, deferral, or rejection personally because neither you nor I know exactly what Bowdoin was trying to achieve in the ED round.
On the plus side, you were not rejected, so you still are being considered for RD.
And you sent in a letter of continued interest - a plus
And you improved your ACT/SAT - a plus if they are now closer to the 33 composite or 1500 composite for the last admitted class. So I'm assuming you submitted those already? Or thinking about it?
On the not so good side,
You asked for an interview and were denied because you missed the Nov. 1 deadline and b.) maybe they don't need any more information from you?
Your counselor had no pull at Bowdoin.
The only missing piece of information that could be helpful is your mid-year grades which your counselor will report in February.
If you have other Colleges you are applying to, I would work on those applications and essays and hedge your bets. Just because you really want something doesn't mean it's going to work out from their perspective. There are many equally good or better liberal arts colleges so I would focus on having a place to land next fall rather than taking the risk of agitating the Bowdoin Admissions team with your deferment. It's not like you got wait-listed and know that only a handful get picked off the waitlist. Many colleges had record ED/EA applications so they had no other choice but to defer a lot of HS students this cycle.
I'm sure your counselor and parents and friends are already telling you the same thing and be patient. But that's what you need to do.
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I agree with this response!