The next step in the college application process is to receive an answer from the admissions department. There are a number of responses you can receive…Accepted, Deferred, Wait-listed, or Declined. At this time, you might not even have any of these responses and you are in a waiting pattern.
The Global Pandemic has modified the College Admissions Process. Many colleges were frantic to make sure they kept their application numbers up. For some schools numbers were down, but for many others, they received a record number of applications during the Early Action process. There is no way to know exactly but test optional applications, increased number of students applying early, and students applying to higher number of schools than they would in prior years might be some of the factors that have driven the numbers up.
Students and Counselors alike are surprised that they have not heard or have been deferred in record numbers. Admissions offices with the same or less staff are having to review a higher number of applications early and they are not sure what they are going to get during the regular decision timeframe. College Kickstart has published acceptance rates that you might find interesting. When the number of applications is up the % of acceptance goes down. All of this impacts our students.
How you respond to the communication you receive from the college or university you are applying to will determine your ultimate success in acceptance.
No matter what the answer you need to do the following:
If deferred:
Follow steps above. If you have decided that you no longer wish to attend that college/university, then you can communicate your decision to the school. A deferral decision in the Early Action/Early Decision process removes any obligation to attend and frees you to accept admission in another college or university. Most students continue with the deferral process and wait on final decisions in the spring. If you are still interested in this college/university then consider these next steps.
Deferred (Not a denial) possible response to an Early Action or Early Decision application. If you were deferred most colleges and universities feel that you are a strong candidate, but not as strong as others that applied early. They want to review your application with other applications in the regular decision process. Chances of acceptance after deferral depend on the university. Explore the school’s website for additional information.