What happens when an application is deferred to regular decision?

I just found out my early application was deferred to regular decision at one of my top schools. What does this mean for my chances, and how should I approach this situation? Any advice would be helpful!

When a college defers an early application to regular decision, it essentially means they want additional time to review your application in the context of the greater applicant pool. While it can feel disappointing, being deferred isn't the end of the line!

Your application still very much remains in consideration. If anything, being deferred simply adds a few more months to the decision-making timeline. Importantly, it would be good to extrapolate this as feedback that your credentials were impressive enough to clear the first hurdle, as colleges typically don't defer applicants they don't believe have any potential for acceptance.

In terms of your chances now, they can vary from school to school, so specific statistic relations become less reliable. However, you still have plenty of opportunity to enhance your application. One thing you could do is send a letter of continued interest. This serves as an additional statement detailing your ongoing interest in the institution and updating them with any further achievements, experiences or relevant information since your initial application.

Keep in mind to continue to apply to other schools as well, not just wait for this one decision. This will ensure that you have a wide variety of options to consider, regardless of what happens with this deferred decision.

Just so you know, it's also possible to ask your school counselor or someone else relevant to contact the college on your behalf to plead your case. This, however, isn't a universal truth and should be done on a case-by-case basis.

Remember, deferral simply means you need to exercise a little more patience. Keep pushing forward and don’t lose heart. Best of luck!