In the context of university admissions, a “deferred” status indicates that an application has not been accepted outright during the early decision or early action round. Instead, the admissions committee has decided to postpone making a final decision on the application until the regular decision round. For instance, a student who applies early to a university and receives a “deferred” notification will have their application reconsidered alongside the pool of regular decision applicants.
The practice of deferring applications allows universities to assess a candidate’s profile in comparison to a larger and potentially more diverse applicant pool. This can benefit both the institution, by enabling a more holistic evaluation, and the student, by providing an opportunity to strengthen their application with updated achievements or further demonstrating their interest in the university. Historically, deferral rates have varied depending on the selectivity of the institution and the overall strength of the applicant pool.
