Yesterday I got deferred from UCF and it makes no sense to me as UCF was supposed to be one of my safeties. Here are my stats:
GPA: 4.1 weighted(up from a 2.8 at the end of my freshman year, I explained this in my bump in the road essay)/ ? UW
SAT: 1970 (1320 reading + math)
ACT: 29
AP Scores: AP Chem (5), AP Environmental (4)
Senior courseload:
AP Physics I, AP Biology, AP Macroeconomics, AP US gov and politics, Precalc Honors, Art History Honors, Dual Enrollment English IV
above average EC’s and 200 community service hours.
If anyone can give any insight as to why I was deferred and what I can do about it, it would be greatly appreciated. UCF is probably my top option in Florida, after UF.
Edit: Also, I have never gotten into any serious disciplinary trouble with my schools such as a suspension or expulsion.
I have excellent recommendations ready from 3 teachers and my counselor that I sent to my out of state schools, and would be wiling to send to UCF if that’s what it takes.
@bd0111 you have great stats! I would definitely contact admissions and see what your next steps should be, if that information hasn’t already been communicated to you. Also, it would allow them the opportunity to review your file and correct any possible mistake. Does a deferral just mean that they have put off your decision till a later date? If so you can have your teachers and counsellor send in the rec letters/forms so that your file is as strong as can be for another review. Having someone vouch for your academic abilities after a rocky start will probably help significantly.
@Mamelot Thank you for the response. The exact message I got from UCF on the myUCF portal:
“Your application has undergone an initial review and is currently deferred for further evaluation with the Admissions Committee. A decision may be delayed as we assess the strength of this year’s applicant pool”
Some schools protect their yield by deferring students with great stats who they think will go elsewhere. Then they wait for that student to start making noise indicative of really wanting to be there. If you want UCF, you should write a letter indicating your continued interest. If it is really your 1st choice, then you can state that. And, if you really really want to go there, you can involve your guidance counselor. Schools tend to listen to the GC because the reputation of the school is behind the GC. So, only involve your GC if you will for sure attend if you get an offer. Consider telling a school that you will attend if you get an offer to be binding (not legally but ethically).
The deferral does not suggest you will not get into the schools that, on paper, look more competitive. Often it is students with credentials that are “too good” who are deferred at schools like UCF who are eager to keep their yield up to rise in ranks.
I thought you would say engineering, which would have made a little more sense to me. UCF has gotten pretty competitive there, from what I’ve heard. Not sure what the deal is with Biology.
@ClarinetDad16 No clue – my school doesn’t report it on my most recent report card so I’d have to take a look at my transcript which I don’t currently have a copy of. I’d say it’s around a 3.0. Freshman year I messed up pretty bad, but these last three years it has gone way up.
@lostaccount I thought about this, but I don’t think my stats are so unusually high for UCF for this to be a Tuft’s syndrome scenario. I’d say I’d be top 20% of their applicant pool at least, and I’ve known people more well qualified than me get in no problem.
@ClarinetDad16 I hadn’t considered that before posting here, but I think you’re right. Anyways, Im going to contact admissions Monday and try to find out why I was deferred. I got 4 a’s and 3 b’s this last semester, with the most rigorous schedule I could have taken with my prerequisites, and my school just sent out my mid-year report Friday. And yes, I have florida prepaid.
Edit:
I just calculated it based on my SSAR – 3.2, and 3.3 after this semester.
@ClarinetDad16 I believe they do. They visited my school one day and I believe they did say they exclude those classes from their GPA. I calculated my GPA based on core classes.