Deferrals, Acceptances, and Rejections!

Merry Christmas first of all! Well, now that everyone is done with receiving early admissions results, let me first congratulate those who are already accepted (but are still shopping around to see if there’s anything else out there am I right? Otherwise you wouldn’t still be reading this, you’d be out celebratin!). With those who have been rejected, don’t let it get you down, that’s what early admissions is for right? You want to relook over what parts of your application may have been weaker and try not to make the same mistake twice if it is something that is fixable (poorly written essays, less than great interview, etc.). For those who have been deferred, there are several things you can do:

1. Send in additional information regarding anything that you have done in the months since you’ve applied. Anything substantial should be reported (but don’t do this simply for the sake of adding something, if you don’t have anything extra to say that’s completely fine!).

2. Deferrals are no reason to get down on yourself! It means that there are no glaring holes in your application, so at least you are on the right track! Sometimes asking your guidance counselor to give the school a call to show your continued interest is helpful (though this varies on a school by school basis and depends on whether or not the counselor has any sort of relationship with the school you are applying to).

3. Make sure you get good grades! This actually goes for everyone, senior year first semester grades are just as important as the other years, don’t think you can slack off just because it is senior year! 

 

Another piece of advice for the deferees and rejectees. Make sure to have safety schools that are realistic, accepted kids can apply just to reach schools or match schools because they already have a safety net with their first acceptance, but deferees and rejectees have to make sure you guys have a place to go next year (financial and academic safeties, make sure you can afford to go somewhere). 

Finally, as you wrap up your final essays and mail off your last applications (at least for those highly selective private schools), remember that you want to show them a little bit about yourself with every piece of your application. Tell them your story. Don’t take a deferral as no. Take it as a “we need to know more”. Good luck, and Merry Christmas!