Deferred From Early Decision or Early Action? Your Next 90 Days

Early Decision and Early Action results start arriving in mid-December, and for a lot of students the answer won't be yes or no. It'll be "deferred." It's a frustrating word, but it isn't a rejection. It means the admissions office wants to see your application again alongside the regular pool. What you do over the next 90 days won't guarantee a different outcome, but it can help, and it will definitely help your other applications. Here's a realistic plan from the team at SchoolScoops, where current students lead private campus tours for families in the middle of this process.

First, Understand What a Deferral Means

A deferral moves your application from the early round into regular decision, where it will be read again. Usually it means you're in range academically, but the school wants more context, more information, or a look at the full applicant pool before deciding. The odds vary widely by school. At the most selective universities, Ivy Coach estimates that roughly 10% of deferred students are eventually admitted; at less selective schools, the share is often much higher. Either way, treat it as a real but uncertain second chance, and keep your other applications moving.

One important rule for Early Decision: a deferral generally moves your application into a non-binding regular decision round. Penn explicitly confirms that a later Regular Decision offer is non-binding. Read your original school's deferral policy, and talk to your counselor before applying Early Decision II anywhere else.

Days 1–14 (Mid-December): Regroup and Read Carefully

• Take a day. Being deferred is disappointing, and it's fine to feel that before planning.
• Read the deferral letter twice. Many schools say exactly what they want: mid-year grades, a short update, or nothing at all. If a school asks you not to send more, don't.
• Finish your regular decision applications. Many deadlines fall on January 1 or January 15, and the Common App gets slow around the holidays. This is the most important thing you can do right now.
• Look again at your list. If it's top-heavy, add a school or two you'd genuinely be happy to attend.
• Decide on Early Decision II. If another school is a clear favorite and offers ED II, it may be worth it, but sort out the rules on your original ED application first.

Days 15–45 (January): Write the Letter of Continued Interest

A letter of continued interest, often called a LOCI, is the main tool you have. It's a short note to the admissions office confirming you still want to attend and sharing what's new since you applied. The best ones follow a few rules:

• Keep it to one page. Admissions officers are reading thousands of applications in January.
• Lead with genuine interest, and be specific about why: programs, professors, traditions, or something you saw on a visit.
• Add real updates: new grades, an award, a leadership role, a finished project, a strong test score.
• If the school is your clear first choice and you'd attend if admitted, say so plainly. Only say it if it's true.
• Stay positive. Never argue with the decision or compare yourself to admitted students.
• Send it the way the school asks, usually through the applicant portal or to your regional admissions officer.

Timing matters. Many counselors suggest sending it in mid-to-late January, once fall semester grades are in, so the letter and your mid-year report arrive together. InGenius Prep's deferral guide and this practical LOCI checklist are both worth reading before you draft.

Days 15–45: The Mid-Year Report

Your school counselor submits a mid-year report with your first-semester senior grades. For deferred students, this is often the single most important new piece of information the admissions office receives. Strong senior grades show the school that your trajectory is still going up. Ask your counselor when it will be sent, and whether they'd be willing to add a short note of support.

Should you send an extra recommendation? Only if the school allows it and the recommender can share something genuinely new, such as a senior-year teacher who knows your work well. More paper isn't better; new information is.

Days 45–90 (February to March): Show Up, If It Helps

A second visit can be worth it in two situations: you never visited in the first place, or the school counts demonstrated interest. You can check the second one yourself in the school's Common Data Set. Look for "Level of applicant's interest" in section C7. A May 2026 College Transitions analysis found that more than half of selective colleges factor it in, especially private and smaller schools.

If you visit, register officially so it's recorded, sit in on a class if that's offered, and come away with specifics you could mention in a short update. If travel isn't realistic, many schools offer virtual sessions; Tufts is one example of a school with both in-person and virtual visit options.

Beyond admissions strategy, a visit in late winter has one more benefit: it helps you decide. If you're admitted in March, you'll know far more about whether to say yes.

What Not to Do

• Don't flood the admissions office with emails, calls, or packages. One strong letter and one or two meaningful updates are enough.
• Don't ask for a reason for the deferral unless the school explicitly invites questions.
• Don't let senior grades slip. A drop can hurt you at every school, not just this one.
• Don't stop working on other applications. The goal is a great outcome in April, not just this one decision.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Write Anything

• What has actually changed since I applied in November?
• If I'm admitted in March, would I attend? Can I honestly say so in my letter?
• Does this school weigh demonstrated interest, and have I visited?
• Are my regular decision applications as strong as my early one?

The Bottom Line

A deferral is a pause, not a verdict. Finish your other applications first, send one focused letter with real updates, make sure your mid-year grades are strong, and visit if it will strengthen your case or help you decide. If a second look at campus would help, SchoolScoops offers private tours led by current students; you can read how SchoolScoops works or see options built for parents and families.

→ Ready to book? Visit SchoolScoops.com or browse all available schools to find your guide.

Photo credits

• Cannon Green and Nassau Hall, Princeton University.jpg — Ken Lund; CC BY-SA 2.0.

Photos cropped and converted to WebP. The adapted hero and card images are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; this license applies to the images, not the article.