The college application process is confusing. It’s confusing for parents, it’s confusing for kids, and it’s confusing for Aunt Kathy who asks you intrusive questions at family gatherings like, “So where are you going to college?” We’re here to help lift the fog of confusion and to bring clarity to the whole process, and one of the most frequent questions we’ve been getting lately is:
What is the difference between being deferred and being waitlisted?
The college application process has two main phases: early application (which includes Early Application, Early Decision, and Restrictive EA) and regular decision.
When you apply to college during the early application phase your applications are generally due in early November. The benefit of applying early is both peace of mind and that colleges tend to have significantly higher acceptance rates for early applicants than for regular decision applicants. There are three possible outcomes from applying early: accepted, denied, or deferred.
When you apply to college during the regular decision phase, your applications are typically due in January. The benefit of applying regular decision is that you have more time to work on your applications, and you aren’t bound by the Early Decision agreement if the school — or schools — you are applying to don’t offer Early Application. There are three possible outcomes from applying during the regular decision cycle: accepted, denied, or waitlisted.
If you are accepted or denied during either cycle, that’s simple. Either you’re in, or you’re not.
Deferral and waitlisting are the ambiguous confusing cousins of the application cycle. They’re similar, but they aren’t the same. So here are the details on what to do whether you are deferred or waitlisted.
What to do if you are deferred
If you are deferred, the first thing to do is to take a deep breath. You aren’t denied, and you do have a chance of getting in during the regular cycle, but there are some things you need to do to raise the chance of that eventual acceptance happening.
Once you’ve taken a walk, called a friend, and eaten an ice cream sundae, you need to learn if the school that deferred you will allow you to send them additional materials or a letter of continued interest. If they do, they will most often tell you either in the notice of deferral or on the admissions section of the college website. If the school specifically states that they do not want you to send them anything else — do not send them anything. Do not email them, do not call them, do not DM them on Instagram, and do not send a passenger pigeon. Follow. Directions.
You also need to continue working hard in school. The college that deferred you may request updated grades from your school, and it is critical that your grades at the very worst stay the same. Ideally, you should look for opportunities to improve your grades and — especially if you are going to be sending materials to update your application — continue to grow your activities with a focus on those most relevant to what you’d like to study in college.
Finally, you should take a look at your college list. If you have been deferred from a college that you thought was a target or even safety for you, you have time to recalibrate your college list to make sure that you finish the college application process in a great place.
What to do if you are waitlisted
If you are waitlisted you’re in a similar boat to being deferred — except that you don’t have another application cycle coming up soon. There isn’t time to rework your college list and, if the school that waitlisted you is your dream school and is a good fit for you academically, there are a few things that you need to do to make an eventual acceptance more likely.
The first thing to do is to take a moment for self-care. Then you need to show continued interest if and only if the school allows you to and invites such updates, and keep working hard.
Acceptance rates off of a waitlist are notoriously low. Often, top schools don’t accept a single person off of the waitlist. Because of this, the idea of a waitlist can be a bit of a trap. They get a student all optimistic, without showing the statistics in the fine print.
If you want to have any chance of being the exception to the rule, you need to follow the guidelines provided by the college for sending additional materials — which may be in an email or on their website. Sending these materials, like a letter of continued interest, is not optional if, and only if, they are allowed in the first place. If you don’t let the school know you’re still in the game, they’re going to grab another player if a spot opens up on the field…to make a lame sports metaphor.
If you are deferred or waitlisted or, painful as it may be, both, you need to take action, keep calm, and carry on being the amazing student, community member, and leader you are.
If you are overwhelmed in the meantime, reach out to us. We’ve helped hundreds of students successfully navigate the deferral and waitlist process.