<p>I received the disheartening news that I was deferred (WCAS) and will have the chance to try again for the normal admission round. However, after doing research on Northwestern's deferral statistics, I was shocked that it appears to be that less than 100 students are deferred (<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/northwestern-university/1624386-northwestern-class-of-2018-deferred-from-ed.html">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/northwestern-university/1624386-northwestern-class-of-2018-deferred-from-ed.html</a>). This has given me a little more optimism that I might have a second chance at getting in... while also making me a little more sad that I might've gotten in had I done a little better. </p>
<p>Has anyone else been deferred? Why do you think you were? My statistics aren't phenomenal. I have a 31 ACT, 4.02 W/3.85 UW GPA, decent EC's; I feel like what gave me a push were my essays and recommendation letters. I'm going to take the SAT in January and see if taking the ACT again in February won't be too late to count towards RD. The thing that concerns me is that I know a big reason for deferrals is the school want to see how your first semester grades look, and I got a B in AP English last term (currently holding onto an A but that could easily change with two massive projects this term). Otherwise I've had straight A's but the classes weren't necessarily difficult, although I am taking a college Psychology 101 course which I suppose they might've been interested in seeing (I'm planning to major in Psychology).</p>
<p>I'm going to call the admissions office and see if they can tell me if there is a specific area I need to work on. I'm so torn between UChicago and Northwestern at the moment. Even if I get accepted into UChicago this Wednesday, I will still fight for Northwestern until the bitter end because I'm just so undecided and love them both :-S </p>
<p>I’m deferred too… don’t know what to do now :(</p>
<p>D was deferred too. Heard the same statistics. Will admissions give feedback as to what the problem was </p>
<p>If I may suggest, try to meet with the admission officer (the one assigned to your region) in person and show your interest. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Hey! I made a college confidential account just to congregate with those who are in my situation as well haha. I’m also a deferred applicant, and was equally disappointed–if not more–as well. </p>
<p>I’m not entirely sure why I got deferred, but if I had to make a guess, I think it would be grades (for me). Regardless, I’m definitely grateful that I have a second chance. My test scores are fine, but after I moved to a substantially more rigorous public school, my grades dropped (junior year demonstrates a slight upward trend, with slightly more rigor). My extras and essays are pretty decent as well, I think.</p>
<p>From what I’ve researched, it seems that grades play a significant role for us. This could perhaps change, however.</p>
<p>Did you end up calling the admissions office? What did they say? </p>
<p>I wish the best of luck to both of us! 
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<p>hey guys! So I was deferred from NU last year and it truly was a bummer but it gave me the chance to pull up my grades. I sent an extra rec letter and my senior year GPA ended up being higher than 4.0 (AP credits) and in the end I managed to get in RD. The school never really told me why I was deferred but my best guess is that as an intl student I couldn’t get financial aid until regular decision. A couple of my friends also go deferred and sadly didn’t make it during RD but by then it was just a matter of grades. I hate to be harsh but both of my friends dropped the ball and let senioritis get to them. If you want Northwestern, don’t do that. Keep working hard and trust me you’ll end up where you really belong! </p>
<p>@jcrush18 Hi! Your post gave me some optimism haha. How were your statistics? Were your grades phenomenal already? I’m not an international so unfortunately I can’t attribute my deferral to that. Do you think it’s primarily our GPA (perhaps only our GPA)? My GPA is definitely my weakness in my application. </p>
<p>@tranquilparanoia my GPA was average, it was a 3.8 UW, 3.9 W and my SAT was good enough, especially for an intl student from my area. It was just pulling that GPA to 4.0 that I think made the cut but then again every situation is different, just don’t slack and don’t give up! In the end, Northwestern is amazing but my friends who made it to other great schools are just as happy there! </p>
<p>I finally had the time to call them just now and I wasn’t able to get too much information out of the person I talked to, but I suppose they can’t disclose too much on the deferral process. The person didn’t have an exact number of deferred students and that it changes yearly, but I doubt it’s any more than 100, especially since it appears there’s not many of us. I also couldn’t be given any specific information about why I was deferred, something relating to the holistic process, but just that it’s already going to be a competitive pool of people and they might just want to see what the RD pool has to offer instead of me/we having any weaknesses. Also, the February ACT is too late for them to take into consideration. </p>
<p>SAT prep will begin next week 
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<p>@Jamesesesess oh so it’s not to see whether or not our grades will improve? It’s just to see whether or not the RD pool will offer more? Sigh…that seems pretty bleak </p>
<p>@tranquilparanoia Oh I’m sure that’s a big reason… I mean, there’s not much other of a reason to defer someone than to see if their profile improves with their current courseload. The person just told me that he literally can’t tell me specific comments since they review the application as a whole. If your grades stay good, I don’t see why that wouldn’t help you. </p>
<p>I’m still hopeful based on their past statistics. I definitely feel more hopeful about my NU deferral than my UChicago one since their strategy seems to be “accept few, defer everyone”. </p>
<p>@Jamesesesess oh okay I see! Well I wish the best of luck to you, hopefully we can both get in! It’s comforting to know I’m not the only one agonizing in the same position haha </p>