<p>Just wondering if there's advice out there regarding how to improve one's chances after being deferred EA. Is there any merit in sending an additional recommendation, even though the notification says all they need is midyear grades? Can such a move work against the applicant? Not time to repeat SAT/ACT as the school's deadline for receiving scores is too soon. Is showing interest to the admissions office via letter/phone call the only thing a kid can do? Thanks.</p>
<p>I think another rec is a good idea, unless they specifically say not to send one. If my son were in the position, I would recommend that he ask his Scholars Bowl coach or drama director, both of whom have worked with him for 4 years, to write a rec, to show his dedication to ECs and just generally to amplify another side of him. What I've read is NOT to flood the admissions office with a bunch of paper, but any new award or honor or a special project or piece of writing could be helpful. Always responding to any communication form the school is alse recemmended.</p>
<p>Could I just hijack this thread a tiny bit and ask a question about my son's apps? He's got most of them out, says he'll do the last 2 before deadline (1-15).</p>
<p>Just last week, he (and 47 other members of his much larger HS chorus) performed with the Stephen Petronio Company (dance) in their production of "Bloom" (music by Rufus Wainwright, lyrics by Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman). They put on 2 spectacular performances, one for the general public, one for students from around the state. They've been quietly rehearsing this since Sept, but since S hardly mentioned it, I didn't realize it was such a big deal until I saw it, so I never thought about him putting it on college apps. Is this the kind of thing he could write a note about to his ad com person at the schools where his RD apps are pending?</p>
<p>My husband wasn't sure, because the chorus students volunteered rather than auditioned, but doesn't it show dedication and passion for an EC to rehearse for 4 months?</p>
<p>BTW, I highly recommend the show, if anyone has a chance to see it locally.</p>
<p>"Just wondering if there's advice out there regarding how to improve one's chances after being deferred EA."</p>
<p>Mostly, you can't. (I know that sounds like heresy). That's because in the next round you are competing against an entirely different applicant group (with the exception of those others who were deferred.) And most of the deferred applicants will be doing exactly the same thing you are - trying to improve your application over and above what it looked like in the ED round. It is a zero-sum game, made worse by the fact that, at most schools, chances are better in the ED round than in the RD round.</p>
<p>You'll feel bad if you don't do absolutely everything you can to improve your application by sending more "stuff" - and most everyone else will be doing the same thing. Nonetheless, at least you'll feel like you've given it your best shot.</p>
<p>My daughter was deferred. Her school is sending in another packet for her, which will have her mid year report, another teacher's recommendation(senior teacher), the college counselor is also going to do another write up about her (additional awards, ECs, her senior year progress). My daughter will also write a letter herself to restate how much still likes the school even after she has taken a closer look of other schools, maybe a bit more about why she wants to go that school, and she will also send in a video supplement. This is all based on her college counselor's advise. She said that some schools only defer students that they may admit RD, but some schools defer students to be polite.</p>
<p>Panhandlegal, it truly depends on the school. My D's friend was deferred from his first choice SCEA school 2 years ago. He sent in additional letters of recommendation, a re-written essay, a letter about how much he loved the school and wanted to attend and even an operetta he had composed. He got in RD. Of course, who knows if it made a difference, but he thinks it did.</p>
<p>I've decided my ?? was too much OT and started a new thread on it.</p>