Early decision application rolled to regular decision at Cornell?

I'm applying early decision to Cornell but have heard that you might be deferred to regular decision. If that happens, what's it like? Does it hurt my chances, or do they give it a fresh look during the regular decision cycle?

If you apply Early Decision (ED) to Cornell and your application is deferred, this means that the admissions committee has decided to reconsider your application during the Regular Decision (RD) cycle. Don't worry, this doesn't mean your application is no good—it simply means they want to continue reviewing it along with the rest of the RD pool.

It's important to clarify that being deferred does not inherently decrease or increase your chances of being accepted. Rather, your chances will be determined by the size and competitiveness of the RD applicant pool as well as the number of spaces left at the college after the ED decisions.

However, your application will be reviewed anew in the context of the RD applicant pool, which likely means it competes with a larger number of students for fewer available spots. While this competition might be steeper, remember that colleges admit a class, not just students. Maybe they will be looking for applicants with your skills and experiences at the time they're reviewing the RD pool.

In the meantime, it wouldn't hurt to continue demonstrating some level of interest in Cornell. You can do this by keeping your grades up, sending a compelling Letter of Continued Interest if Cornell allows it, and informing the admissions office of any additional accomplishments you may have had since the ED deadline. Best of luck with your application!