Hey guys! I've heard the term 'defer application' a few times on this subreddit, but I'm not entirely sure what it means. Can anyone provide some clarification? Thanks in advance!
Deferring your college application generally refers to one of two scenarios:
1. Deferring your admission decision: In this context, a student who has been accepted to a college may request to defer their enrollment for a certain period of time, usually for one or two semesters or even up to a year. This is typically done for personal reasons, such as taking a gap year, fulfilling military service requirements, or addressing medical or family issues. The college usually evaluates your request on a case-by-case basis, and their policies on granting deferrals might vary. It's important to check with the admissions office of the specific college for their deferral policy and required documentation or procedures.
2. Deferral of an early decision/action application: In this scenario, a student has applied through an early decision or early action program, and the college chooses to defer their application to the regular decision pool. This means that the college needs more time to review the applicant's file or wants to see more information (like the first semester of senior year grades) before making a final decision. Being deferred from early decision/action doesn't mean you've been denied – your application will now be re-evaluated along with the regular decision applicant pool, and you may still be accepted.
In both cases, deferring your college application allows for additional time, whether it is for the student to prepare to attend college or for the college to evaluate the applicant more thoroughly.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.