What happens if you're deferred to regular decision?

If I'm deferred from early action or early decision to regular decision, what does that mean for my application? Is there anything specific I should do during this time to improve my chances?

If you're deferred from Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED) to Regular Decision (RD), it simply means that the admissions committee has decided to review your application again during the RD review process. This could be for a variety of reasons; perhaps they need more context from the larger pool, or they want to see your updated academic and extracurricular information.

Being deferred is not a denial – your application still holds a chance of acceptance. However, it does mean you might have to wait longer for the final decision.

Here are a few things you can do to improve your chances after being deferred:

1. Send an update to the college: An update can include mid-year or first-semester grades, any new achievements, updated SAT/ACT scores, or new extracurricular involvements. Stick to substantial updates; you don't want to overwhelm admissions officers with irrelevant information.

2. Demonstrate interest: This can be tricky because some schools don't consider demonstrated interest. Research the school to see if demonstrated interest is a factor in their decision. If it is, consider reaching out to the admissions office emphasizing your sustained interest.

3. Write a deferral letter: The purpose of this letter is two-fold. Firstly, to let colleges know that you are still highly interested. Secondly, to update them on new developments since your initial application submission.

Remember, the process after being deferred can vary by college. Always check the specific instructions given to you by the school when you received your deferral.

Being deferred certainly isn't the end of the road, and with some diligent follow-up work, you could improve your chances during the regular decision round. Best of luck.