While getting waitlisted or deferred from a college can be frustrating, it is important to remember that you have already gone through consideration for acceptance. This blog post will discuss the difference between getting waitlisted and getting deferred and what you can do if you find yourself in either situation.
One of the ultimate goals in high school is to get accepted into the college of your choice. But what happens if you’re not accepted? You may be waitlisted or deferred. So what’s the difference?
The difference between waitlisted and deferred
When you get waitlisted for a college, it means that you’ve met all of the requirements for admission, but there is not enough space in the incoming class. So, you are put on a waitlist and wait to see if someone decides to drop out or if more spaces open up.
You were not accepted when you got deferred from a college, but they will reconsider you in the next admissions review. Deferment usually happens because your grades or test scores are not strong enough in one area but could get reconsidered in the next cycle.
There is no need to panic about getting waitlisted or getting deferred from a college. Remember, you have already gone through the admissions review process once. However, if you do get on a waitlist, it is important to understand that your chances of attending the school decrease as waitlist spots fill up, and you need to wait for a response. Colleges generally waitlist students in order of academic strength, so other stronger candidates may likely come off the waitlist before you. While the waitlist process may be frustrating, this means that colleges do not have any immediate openings and are simply waiting for someone else to decline their acceptance.
What to do if you get on the waitlist?
If you get waitlisted instead of deferred, it is important to remember that waitlist spots will fill up as time goes on, so there is no need to wait for a response if the waitlist process takes more than a week or two. It is also worth noting that some colleges have waitlists of over 5,000 students. If you get waitlisted, it may be worth looking into attending college elsewhere while appealing the waitlist decision.
What to do if you get deferred?
If you get deferred instead of waitlisted, this means that while you did not meet all of what they were looking for to get admitted, they could still reconsider you in the next admissions cycle if something in your profile improves. So, if you choose to retake tests or improve your grades, wait until after the deferral period to have new scores sent. This way, colleges are more likely to see your improvement.
Deferred students, unlike waitlisted students, should wait about a month before sending new transcripts or test scores unless there is a specific requirement from the college. While it may be hard to wait, colleges are more likely to waitlist students after they have improved their grades or test scores.
If you feel that waitlisting has become too complicated of a process, the best thing to do is talk with your school counselor or college consultant about what you should do next. They will help guide you through the waitlist process and ease your worries.
How to improve your chances of getting accepted
When it comes to getting waitlisted or deferred from a college, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of being accepted.
The best thing to do for waitlisted students is to wait and see if any spots open up. If you do not want to wait, it may be worth looking into other colleges.
For deferred students, the best thing to do is retake tests or improve your grades. If you wait until after the deferral period to send in new scores or transcripts, colleges are more likely to consider your improvement.
If transferring, both waitlisted and deferred students should avoid withdrawing from their current college since this will look bad on their records.
Lastly, it is best to wait until after the deferral period before sending in new transcripts or test scores unless there is an immediate requirement.
The waitlist process can be complicated, but it is still worth exploring options while waiting for a response. While you wait, there are ways to improve your chances of getting accepted. This way, if you receive a waitlisted decision or deferred decision, you will have a better chance of being accepted.
Tips for making the waitlist or deferral process easier
When it comes to the waitlist or deferral process, here are a few tips to make it easier:
- Wait and see if any spots open up. For waitlisted students, this is the best way to see if you have a chance of getting in.
- Look into other colleges. If waitlisting becomes too complicated or you don’t want to wait, it may be worth looking into other schools.
- Retake tests or improve grades. This is the best way for deferred students to show that they are still interested in the school and have the potential to be accepted.
- Avoid withdrawing from your current college if you want to transfer. This will look bad on your record and may decrease your acceptance chances.
- Wait until after the deferral period before sending in new transcripts or test scores unless there is an immediate requirement. This way, colleges are more likely to waitlist if you wait until later.
It’s important to understand the difference between getting waitlisted and deferred at college. A waitlist means you are not accepted yet, but your application is held for a spot if one becomes available. If you get deferred, this means that your application was not accepted but will come up for reconsideration in the next round of admissions decisions. Keep in mind that most colleges only have room for a certain number of students, so even if you’re waitlisted or deferred, there’s still a good chance that you’ll get into your top choice school. Make sure to stay positive and keep up your grades throughout high school so you can give yourself the best chance possible!
