<p>Hey guys,
Does anyone have any experience with deferring admission to a graduate school? Most schools don't post anything on their website in respect to deferrals and of course, I don't want to say anything during interview weekends or with school representatives because it will reflect badly on my application.
I'm considering deferring for a year because I'd like to extend my current fellowship in order to finish projects that most likely will not be completed to my satisfaction by August 2009. Of course, if my choice for a PhD program refuses to allow me to defer, I will enter the Fall 2009 class with no regrets.
I'm applying to PhD programs in immunology with interviews at Ann arbor, Emory, and Johns Hopkins. Has anyone deferred with these schools or have opinions of general deferral?</p>
<p>To my knowledge most schools will not do deferrals. I have heard of being able to start in the spring semester and not do the fall, but I think that is extremely rare as well. If you will be finished in August you would still be good to go for the fall 2009 classes no?</p>
<p>Personally with so many applicants this year (so I hear due to the economy) I would just be thrilled to get accepted & start right away. Good luck!</p>
<p>If you applied to PIBS in Ann Arbor, the acceptance letter specifically says that we can defer 1 year.</p>
<p>ymmit - interesting… Do they mention that you would get the same funding? That’s were I think things would get a little confusing & why most schools don’t do it. </p>
<p>Do you think it is worth postponing school for a year though to complete a project in August? What would you do from August 2009 - August 2010? I would think most people would want to get done ASAP.</p>
<p>I think I was rather vague in my original entry. My apologies - I meant that my fellowship currently ends in August 2009. Between 2 projects and 2 months of international travel for fieldwork, things won’t be getting finished. I have the option of extending my fellowship until March of 2010, which is what I’m leaning towards doing. </p>
<p>After March? I’ll probably run around Asia backpacking and then do a summer lab rotation.</p>
<p>Thanks for the clarification that makes much more sense;) I hope that you can get a deferral. I still don’t think I would mention it at the interviews though…</p>
<p>I have heard that graduate programs usually let Churchill winners defer for a year so that they can study at Cambridge. </p>
<p>No clue how common deferrals are otherwise.</p>
<p>How about getting a Fulbright? Would that serve as a valid reason for deferral?</p>
<p>I don’t think you can speak generally about how easy it is to defer a PhD program - every school is different. For the most part, I believe most schools (specifically in mol. bio) have the option on the table, and it just varies how easy it is to get a deferral. You will have to ask them individually. I would recommend waiting until after you are already accepted before you ask.</p>
<p>I knew last year when I applied to PhD programs that I might have to defer, as I was on the short list for a Fulbright. Several schools were open to the possibility - UWashington MCB allows any student to defer up to two years without giving any reason at all. Other schools implied that deferral was a possibility, but you had to have a good reason.</p>
<p>Ultimately, I got the Fulbright, and I chose Berkeley MCB for my graduate program. Berkeley asked me to write a letter to the chair of admissions asking for a deferral - in an entering class of 45-50, they usually only allow 1-2 students to defer each year, so you need a good reason. I wrote a strong letter explaining why I was deferring, and why it would make me a stronger student when I came to the program, and I was granted my deferral.</p>
<p>A research fellowship is a good excuse for a deferral, especially you will come to the program with more experience when you are done. I’m sure most programs would be willing to grant you the deferral.</p>
<p>I agree with buffkitten. A girl in my graduating class ended up deferring for a year (although I don’t recall the reason), and I believe she chose Berkeley MCB specifically because they would grant the deferral.</p>
<p>You won’t know until you ask, and you may as well wait until you’re formally accepted to ask. I think your plans are great.</p>
<p>My S asked about a possible deferral as soon as he was accepted to his PHD program and they said, “No problem, we do it all the time.” I would wait until after you’re accepted to ask, though.</p>