Deferred ):

James madison is my top school, but I got deferred and now I’m really scared that I won’t get in at all! Does anyone have any ideas about how to improve my chances or if I stand any chance at all to get into RD?
I’m IS
3.65 weighted GPA
1 honor society
4+ clubs & 3 sports
1230 SAT / 27 ACT
I also have community service and have worked 15-20 hours a week for two years
Thank you so much!

Get good/better/great senior semester grades. Assuming that it’s too late to raise test scores, I guess you’ll have to make do with your current scores. As for extracurriculars, become involved in additional community service activities that are worth mentioning to the admissions office.

Thank you so much! I actually graduated early with straight As in my senior year, but I don’t know if that has an impact on my chances!

Hi - which part of VA are you from? I know admissions from NOVA for JMU are more competitive than from other parts of VA, but your stats are right in line with their profile (ACT is towards the 75% of accepted students), and I honestly think you should get in RD. You might consider sending an email to the admissions counselor for your area just to let them know that they remain your first choice and you are looking forward to hearing from them in March. Also, you should talk to your guidance counselor and make sure they forward your 2nd quarter/1st semester final grades from this year so they have that updated info.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I will be sure to get in touch with someone and make an appointment with my counselor! I am from southern Virginia!

Definitely write the guidance counselor and try to come back to campus and sit through a class and try to speak with an instructor in your intended major. All of these will show demonstrated interest and, I am confident, get in you via RD.

I will began to do those things! Thank you so much for the advice I appreciate it! (:

Update: I have spoken to my counslor and admissions and have completed a form to update my file with reguards to my grades and new extracurriculars (I began a new club at my HS) just wondering, does getting deferred necessarily mean that it will be harder for me to be accepted into the pool of RD applicants? I’ve been reading more and I’m really nervous as to what my chances may be!

You should get in. JMU has a 73% acceptance rate.