<p>I was just wondering if anyone knows somebody who was rejected (after being deferred) even after demonstrating interest in the school. I sent a letter of interest to a school I was deferred at and was just curious to see if there's a case like that because I have heard of success stories of people who did what I did but not an "unfortunate" story. Basically, if you show a lot of interest in the school after being deferred, how much higher will your chances be in being accepted later? Thanks! </p>
<p>Typically, a simple letter of continued interest is not enough - depending on the school, you need to have senior grades that confirm an upward trend, won the championship or competition in which you had started, gotten higher scores on your test retake, etc.</p>
<p>Were your GPA and test scores closer to the upper or lower end of the school’s typical matriculated student range?</p>
<p>The “interest game” likely matters most if your GPA and test scores are at or above the upper end of the school’s typical matriculated student range, since the yield rate tends to be low for such students. If your GPA and test scores are at or below the lower end of the school’s typical matriculated student range (i.e. it was a “reach” for you), then you may have gotten rejected for the usual reasons, as opposed to the “interest game” (yield rate for lower range admits is generally high, since there is a general tendency to choose among the more selective schools that one is admitted to).</p>
<p>Of course, not all schools’ “interest game” rules are the same.</p>
<p>Deferred means they would have liked to have you, but ran out of room and had to make the hard choices about who to take. People who decline the wait list are the only ones who are not interested. So a letter is just confirming what they already know. It is probably a good idea and all to confirm the interest, especially if you have an update to send, but no way does that mean you are coming off the list. If you will go if accepted for sure, you can let them know that or, less binding, saying it is your top pick if you already haven’t said that to another school you are waiting on. Some colleges never are able to go to the waitlist at all, other take a few, others many. You might see what the pattern is for the college you are interested in. Also sometimes the waitlist is ridiculously huge, like 1,000 persons at a college that only admits 1,500.</p>
<p>Why would you still be interested in someone/body/institution that has no interest in you? Duh, I know where I’m not wanted so why bother with it…what does Bonnie Raitt say “I can’t make you love me, when you don’t”</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus My GPA and SAT scores are both higher than the accepted average of the school.
I think a big reason why I was deferred was because although my stats are higher than the average, it’s weak among the Asian candidates (since I am Asian). That is just an assumption but I think that is a possible reason</p>
<p>@schoolhouse Because I still have some hope… Maybe it’s foolish but my desire to go to that school is so great that I find it difficult to even say I have a second choice school</p>
<p>Look at the college’s common data set, section C7, or its admissions tab at <a href=“http://www.collegedata.com”>http://www.collegedata.com</a> . See how big a factor “level of applicant’s interest” is.</p>
<p>Being deferred means that you applied EA or ED. ED implies a very strong expression of interest, so if you did apply ED, then the reason for rejection was presumably something other than not showing a high enough level of interest. EA, on the other hand, is often used by students looking to pick up early safeties.</p>
<p>The colleges’ that have deferees after EA or ED seem to admit those people like the rest of the RD applicants. Look to that rate of admission for your chances. Like ucb said, your applying ED is the STRONGEST statement that anyone could make. Yet you were still deferred. Not knowing the college, your chances are equal to everyone else’s – i.e. slim. Sorry but that’s the facts.</p>
<p>@dumblydore314, based on your posts, I guess the school is Wellesley which has a unique Early Evaluation for regular applicants. You got a ‘possible’ from them, which is very similar to a deferral for EA or ED. Wellesley says that there is 20% chance for a ‘possible’ EE to be admitted. Wellesley does consider the level of applicant’s interest, so your showing of further interest should enhance your chance. However, each college is trying to admit students to form a community which fit its goals, unless you know exactly reason why you got ‘possible’, it is very hard for others to give concrete answers. Wellesley’s decision is coming out on 03/25, only a week to go. So I wish you good luck.</p>
<p>Wellesley’s ‘possible’ decision means that they think you are not their top choice based on their criteria (not solely based on test scores). They want to re-look at your application with other regular decision applicants so that they can make a decision. However, based on your profile and Wellelsey’s common data set, your are a very competitive applicant and you should have more than 20% chance to get in. But, I am not an adcom in Wellesley, so please do not take my words. And to be frank, I know this is not politically correct, being an Asian candidate may require you stand out much more than other applicants. So good luck again.</p>