Overview
If you've been deferred from an Early Action or Early Decision application to Regular Decision, send a deferral update with meaningful new information. This is optional but can tip a marginal decision.
When to Send Updates
- After ED/EA deferral: Mid-December through January
- For schools that accept updates: Feb-March is still possible
- Stop sending by early March; decisions are near-final
What Counts as Meaningful
- Mid-year grades (especially if strong or improved)
- New major awards
- Published research
- Competition wins (national, regional with significance)
- Significant leadership expansion
- New job or internship
- Admission to other competitive programs
- Completed research project with findings
What Doesn't Count
- Routine club participation
- Minor school awards
- Course grades that match your transcript pattern
- General "staying engaged" updates
How to Send
- Check the school's website for their deferral update policy (some have forms, some use email)
- Email admissions with subject: "Deferred applicant update - [Your name] - [ID]"
- Keep under 300 words
- Attach evidence if relevant (publication, award certificate)
- Express continued strong interest if school is a top choice
Template
Dear Admissions Office,
My application (ID: [number]) was deferred from Early Action to Regular Decision. I wanted to share several updates from the past few months.
Since December:
• [Specific achievement or update with 1-2 sentences of context]
• [Another achievement with context]
[School Name] remains a top choice for me. I'm particularly excited about [specific program or opportunity] that aligns with my [specific interest/goal].
I appreciate your continued consideration.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
[Application ID]
[Contact info]
Frequency
- Send ONE update, not multiple
- Unless significant news breaks (major award), one update is enough
- Multiple emails can appear desperate
Schools That Don't Accept Updates
Some schools explicitly state no deferral updates accepted:
- MIT (typically)
- Caltech (typically)
- A few others - check each school's website
Don't send if they've said no.
Schools That Welcome Updates
- Most Ivies
- Most selective liberal arts colleges
- Most medium-sized privates
- Many large publics with strong waitlist activity
Tone
- Professional, not desperate
- Factual, not emotional
- Grateful, not entitled
- Specific, not generic
Parent Note
Parents don't write deferral updates. Students write.
When to Accept the Deferral
If no meaningful updates exist, that's OK. A calm, quiet deferral is professional. Don't manufacture updates just to send them. An email saying "I just want to confirm my interest" is weaker than no email.
After the Update
- Focus on RD applications
- Continue strong academic performance
- Don't obsess over the outcome
- Deferral → Admission conversion is typically 5-15% depending on school