How can I defer my admission at Hunter College?

I've been accepted to Hunter College, but I'm considering taking a gap year before starting. Has anyone here deferred their admission at Hunter? If so, what was the process like, and how did it affect your financial aid or scholarships?

Congrats on your acceptance to Hunter College!

Generally, all you have to do to defer is to send a formal written request to the admissions office, stating the reason why you wish to defer and asking for a deferral for a year. In your letter, it's important to clearly articulate your reasons for wanting to take a gap year.

Remember to do this before the date by which you're supposed to confirm your acceptance, so that your admission offer doesn't automatically get cancelled. After they review your request, they'll send you a written response confirming if your deferral is granted or not.

Regarding financial aid and scholarships, things get a bit trickier. Generally, deferment should not affect your status with federal financial aid or scholarships through Hunter directly, but you should definitely confirm this with the financial aid office. As for external scholarships, it varies. Some scholarships will allow you to defer, while some may not. It is important that you check with the specific organizations offering these scholarships to understand their deferral policy.

You may also have to fill out a new FAFSA form for the year you'll actually attend due to the student aid index (SAI) possibly changing based on your family's income and assets.

Lastly, when it comes time to actually enroll, it's likely that all you will need to do is contact the admissions office and reactivate your application. The specific process may vary though, so again, it's a good idea to ask about this when you request the deferral.

Hope this helps, and good luck!