When You Don't Get In: Tips for Dealing with Deferral/Wait List Notifications

If you weren't admitted as an Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) applicant, deferred to the regular applicant pool, or find yourself wait listed this spring, don’t despair! Although "elite" schools admit only a very small percentage of students the second (or third) time around, here are some action steps you can take to let admission officers know that you're still interested and a very viable candidate:

• “Deferred” candidates who applied ED or EA, should write a letter to the admission rep responsible for your geographic area; the name of and email address for that person is typically found on the "Meet the Staff" or “Meet your Counselor” page of a college's website. (Note: For Hudson Valley students, the rep's area also might be called "Upstate NY" or "NYS other than NYC and Westchester", etc.) For students placed on one or multiple wait lists, this letter should be addressed to whomever signed the wait-list letter (with a copy also forwarded to your regional rep). In the letter, be sure to thank the college for continuing to consider your application and reiterate specifically why you think you're particularly well-suited for it. Include information about any recent accomplishments or activities not reflected in your application. And if one of the schools at which you’ve been deferred or wait listed is still your first-choice, say so! In all cases, be honest and authentic: Don’t say you plan to attend a college if admitted unless this is really the case.
• Ask someone who's able to talk enthusiastically about some aspect of your academic strengths and/or personal qualities and character not covered in previous recommendations to write on your behalf. For example, if you're an aspiring writer who's already secured a letter from your AP/Honors English teacher, perhaps your physics teacher would be willing to describe how your creative nature makes you a resourceful science student. Might a mentor or other adult you're working with outside of the classroom praise your diligence or leadership?
• Look for ways to showcase your special talents. Wannabe journalists might offer their local newspaper some volunteer service as a teen correspondent. If art is your thing, contact a local library or coffee shop to ask about opportunities to exhibit your work. Math whizzes could consider entering a regional competition. And notify the college if you win a scholarship or award. In other words, this is no time to be modest! Let colleges know what you’re up to and connect that activity—if possible—to their own programs/strengths/personality.
• Visit (or revisit) the college. If you haven't had the chance to interview there and slots are still available, take advantage of that opportunity to discuss why you think you're a good match for it. It’s unlikely that this opportunity will be available to wait-listed students.
• Do your very best in school. If you submitted ACT or SAT scores to test-optional colleges, but believe you could do better, you might think about taking either one of these tests one more time, being sure to submit the results to the college ASAP. Receiving significantly higher scores on one of these exams might make an impact on admissibility for deferred students. However, retaking the SAT or ACT isn’t a recommended strategy for wait-listed students.

In any event, make sure you have a Plan B: Deferred students should be sure to file applications to "other" colleges on time, and not pin hopes on the college that didn't take them ED. Wait listed students will still need to accept their place at ONE college with the required deposit (typically by May 1). Although over the past couple of years colleges have been going to their wait lists earlier and earlier, some may not make final wait-list decisions until July or August.

Whether you get in or not, remember it's what you make of your opportunities in college—rather than simply which college you attend—that ultimately matters most. Best of luck to you!