#deferred admission

[yorkulife]

Hi, I was just wondering if it's possible to take more than one year off before starting school. I deferred what would have been my first year and would just like to know if i can do it again.

Hello anon,

At this point you would have to petition for a leave of absence if you want to take another year off. The alternative is to withdraw from York, but you would have to re-apply to come back.

- H

[atthecolledge]

7 Things You Can Do To Go From "Deferred" To "Admitted"

Last month, many seniors were finally able to exhale. They had been holding their breath for six weeks, eagerly waiting to hear from their dream schools about early application decisions. Many students were fortunate enough to get the answer they were hoping for (congrats!).

Others felt the sting of rejection (ouch!).

Still others received something a little more ambiguous - a deferral, the college application equivalent of the answer my dad used to give me whenever I’d ask if we could go somewhere like Disneyland or Yosemite over the summer: “we’ll see.”

If this is you, you’re probably thinking what I was thinking back then: “What does that even mean?!” Is deferral a promise of deeper consideration or a nice way of letting you down? Are they really just not sure or are they too chicken to just tell it to you straight? The truth is, it’s both, and maybe neither, too.

Let’s put it into context, by way of some stats:

Harvard deferred 4,292 applicants to regular decision out of 5,919 students who applied “single-choice” early action this fall.

Brown deferred 1,968 of its 3,016 binding early decision applicants.

MIT deferred 4,456 of its 6,820 early action applicants.

Princeton deferred 2,918 out of 3,854 applications.

The University of Michigan was perhaps the biggest surprise, cutting their early application acceptances by half this year compared to last year, accepting only about 35% of their applicant pool, and deferring most of the rest.

In other words, nearly everyone who applied early to these schools was deferred. 

Stanford, on the other hand, deferred a mere 593 students out of 6,948 restricted early action candidates, while Duke deferred only 691 out of 3,108 early decision applicants to regular decision. The students who weren't admitted were rejected outright, and only very, very few were admitted. 

Seen from this angle, it's almost a blessing to be deferred. I mean, at least you still have a chance.

So who got in? Check it out:

Image source: IvyWise, compliments of Lynn O'Shaughnessy of The College Solution.

You may have noticed that the acceptance rates seem higher for early than for regular decision applications. This is true, as far as it goes.

But remember, data lies.

The percentages may be higher, but this does not mean it is easier to get in early. Keep in mind that the bulk of athletic recruits, legacies, development cases, first gen students, and minority applicants are getting in through early application programs, and together they can make up more than 60% of this pool of accepted students. The remainder of acceptances go to the most highly competitive and accomplished students in the country (and the world). Think national and international award winners, Olympians, cyborgs (OK, not really, but it can seem that way sometimes). 

The real early numbers, for your “run-of-the-mill” academic overachiever, are much tighter, and probably no better than the Regular Decision numbers.

Your next question should be, What can I do now? Here are a few pointers:

Contact Your Admissions Rep. Selective colleges have admissions officers who are assigned to particular regions. Most likely, he or she was the first reader of your app. Find out who yours is (if you haven’t been in touch already) and give them a call or shoot them an email. This is NOT an opportunity to badger or cajole your rep into giving you another shot. This IS, however, an opportunity to get some feedback about your application, to ask if there is anything he or she thinks you can do to strengthen your candidacy, or to inform them of any significant changes to your academic record (i.e. improved grades or test scores or an award you won since submitting your early application). You can also clarify something that might have been ambiguous or confusing on your initial application.

Update Your Application. Although your high school will send each college a mid-year grade report, get ahead of the curve and send it yourself with an attached letter, in which you reinforce your commitment to attend if you're admitted (only if this is true!). Use this opportunity to update them on any significant changes in your academic record or extracurricular activities (as stated above). Send anything, as well, that you think will help them see what great things you’ve been up to since submitting your application in November. But don’t inundate them. Be selective about what you share. Only significant new information counts.

Visit Campus. Make an appointment to meet with your admissions rep on campus in January or February. Bear in mind that this is the busy season for them, so they may not be available. But at the very least you can take in a class, schedule a meeting with a professor, or just stroll the campus to really get a sense of it. You can then include these impressions in any further contact with the admissions office (see #1).

Send Another Rec Letter. A recommendation letter from someone who knows you in a way that is underrepresented on your original application can help the admission office get a clearer picture of you. Consider asking an employer, a coach, a faculty sponsor for one of your clubs or organizations, or a senior year teacher who knows you a little better now to write an additional letter of recommendation. One will do (remember: do not inundate the admissions office).

Keep Working Hard. Avoid the lure of senioritis. Use this semester to show that you are serious about excelling. This goes for community activities too. Don’t just ease up on the volunteering or community involvement because the apps are all in. Double down and take a leadership role.

Meet With Your Counselor. Update him or her on everything you’ve done since submitting your first apps. They may have a contact in admissions whom they can update and whose eyes they can direct back to your app. At the very least, they can include a brief letter reinforcing your commitment to attend if you are admitted (again, only if this is true!) along with the mid-year grade report.

Onward and Upward. Once you’ve done everything in your power to get them to see how amazing you are, turn your attention to other schools. I like this student’s attitude. We could all learn something from his poise and self-confidence. (And I bet he sent a copy of his Op Ed in the LA Times to his early application school.)

[yorkulife]

Hello! I really want to take a year off and request a deferral. In my opinion, I do have valid reasons to request the year off (mental health struggle, financially unstable, etc) and I was wondering if you know anyone who has applied for a deferral? If they're usually accepted or declined? I really need this year off but I'm so nervous that I'll be rejected

If you’re a first year student and asking for a deferred admission, most likely it’ll be accepted (granted you have a good reason, which you do).

As for current students petitioning for a leave of absence, I don’t know how successful that is because it’s decided case by case - but again I think your reason is very valid so you should still go for it.

No, unfortunately I don’t know anyone who’s been through the deferral process sorry.

- H

[yorkulife]

Does York allow students to differ for a year? Or would I have to drop out? Also could I do it mid-year?... Like after first semester?

Yes I believe so, but you had to apply for a deferral a month before the start of classes. http://futurestudents.yorku.ca/sites/all/files/pdf/deferral.pdfI'd recommend talking to your advisor about this as they can provide you with more information. - H