<p>Dan: I got my deferral yesterday, and wasn’t quite sure what that was supposed to mean…upon asking my dad, he replied “That’s just a nice rejection”. I know this isn’t the case with Tufts, however, and that’s a bit comforting. But…I do have a question. Will the fact that I applied ED be taken into consideration…? I hope it would show, at best, my interest in Tufts.</p>
<p>Best ways to help yourself in RD: 1) Kick tail on your grades the rest of this semester. 2) Send the Admissions office <em>one</em> update with any <em>important</em> awards/recognition you have earned since submitting your app. Not important: Honor Roll, NHS. Important: Winning a competition, making Intel, being acknowledged for leadership/community service/dearly-held EC.</p>
<p>One of my kids did this at the beginning of Feb. and faxed it to his schools.
My kid who applied to Tufts did not send in an update (other than the mid-year grades the GC mailed). He was accepted.</p>
<p>@alange - Our assumption is that you applied ED with good reasons, and although things change, we will go into regular decision still believing you are keen on coming to Tufts. </p>
<p>Just to push back against folks who see deferral as a ‘soft rejection’: the least used decision in ED is deferral, so you are part of a relatively small group that we liked but want to see in regular decision along with the rest of the applicant pool. It’s important to stay realistic - your odds of admission in regular aren’t any better than anyone else, but they also aren’t any worse.</p>
<p>Phoenix Down.</p>
<p>Dan Admiss, You’re so kind to take the time during your busiest season to help hopeful applicants put deferral in perspective.</p>
<p>Any idea whether a Bate deferral is generally a “soft rejection” or a hope?</p>
<p>Intuitively it would seem that deferred candidates are a possible Yes, otherwise they would be rejected, but the school can’t accept the entire class of 2016 through ED. The idea that the app might go to the back of the regular decision pile is more disturbing.</p>
<p>I care as the parent of a deferred candidate and an independent college admissions consultant.</p>
<p>Good luck with all your reading!</p>
<p>I have applied EDII and was deferred. My midyear grades and all else have been submitted already. So, I am not sure if I am supposed to show some kind of improvement between now and March or so. With EDII, my main question is as to why an applicant is deferred. Is it due to a lack of impressive senior grades or…? It is reassuring to see that this deferral is not a soft rejection. But, do a sufficient number of deferred students get accepted in RD? Do you approach a deferred student’s application as you approach a RD application? Or is it any different?</p>
<p>Thank you for your help!</p>
<p>This thread has been very helpful in restoring my self-confidence to say the least. It also seems like a more appropriate place to ask this question. </p>
<p>Should I take the SATs again? I’m fairly confident I can get a better score, and the deferral letter does mention sending in additional standardized test results. However, the next test date is March 10, which leaves me doubting as to whether or not the results would even be available in time to send to Tufts. Also, as the deadline to register is today, I appreciate any advice on the matter.</p>
<p>Hi! Quick question @Dan (though I was denied as well…which I understand) but my ED Agreement was never officially submitted (due to complications) and I was wondering how Admissions still looked at my application despite that. Thanks!!</p>
<p>Mikell, sorry, but by the time the March SAT results are out, the admissions office will be assembling acceptance packages and rejection letters. If you win any awards, etc. in the next two weeks, that might be worth sending to admissions. I’d expect the selection committee is going to start meeting soon just based on the timeline of when things have to be completed in order to notify students by April 1st. </p>
<p>It is what it is. One more swing at the SAT is not likely to change much. Trust that your app will be reviewed fairly and that no matter what the result, the sun will rise tomorrow, and you will still have a lifetime of opportunities to discover.</p>
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<p>I think that’s the right message for the ED2 folks - though I know it can be a mixed thing to feel like you’ve done all that you can.</p>
<p>There is remarkable clarity that comes in March behind the admissions screen, and reviewing applicants on a scale of thousands offers a better vantage point than when you are doing so with a scale of hundreds for ED2 (the ED2 pool is our smallest). Mostly, the students deferred out of ED2 represent a very small cohort of students who we agonized over. There’s usually some strong advocacy involved (someone wanted to see you at Tufts), and some prudent reasons to wait. </p>
<p>We also maintain a commitment to limit the number of students we will admit ED. Once on Collegeconfidential - this was a few years ago - I saw a list of schools with ED compiled with the percentage of the class they admit in ED. Tufts was, to my surprise, almost the school with the greatest level of restraint when it comes to ED. There are arguments for and against such restraint, but the most compelling argument to keep that limit is to ensure we aren’t locked out of the opportunity to enroll some amazing students in April just those students weren’t 100% positive on where to spend four years of their life when they applied in December. Some of you bumped up against that limit. </p>
<p>When we look at the ED2 applicants again in March, there will be applicants where we will know almost immediately we should have admitted you in February, but we couldn’t see then what we see now. And, to be honest, there will be a few on the other side of that. </p>
<p>But, to return to CountingDown’s quote above, we do not expect you to do anything more. You do not need to write anything extra, or send another recommendation. We like you. I know a deferral may not feel that way, but we like you. Remind yourself that you are better than any admissions decision could ever reflect (trust me, I know its true), get your prom-posal ready, and enjoy the rest of your senior year.</p>
<p>Now, for some specific questions:</p>
<p>@collegegrail - no idea. Though, even if I did know, which I don’t, I wouldn’t talk about that here.</p>
<p>@leftasunknowns - Somewhere in between. Our past has shown that nearly all of our deferred students will attend if we offer them a spot. So we know you are still committed. But, you come up in committee the same way anyone else would come up, at the time you would if you were an RD applicant. The admit rate for a deferred applicant in RD is usually no worse than it is for anyone else at that point. Though, I’ll point out again that the deferred group is quite small, so statistical variations occur from year to year.</p>
<p>@Mikell - Like CountingDown says. A wise poster, that CountingDown</p>
<p>Thanks, Dan!</p>
<p>I was deferred from Tufts today as an ED1 applicant. Tufts was obviously my first choice, however I understand there are limits when it comes to acceptances. While deferral does feel like a grey area of uncertainty, I’m grateful that I was not rejected.</p>
<p>Now for my real question – I e-mailed the admissions rep for my part of the US a few weeks back describing concern for my quarter grades. I was horribly sick earlier this year and missed a lot of school. Because of this, my grades have suffered. I’m focused on getting my grades up as best I can these last few weeks of the semester, but I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to do. This is the hardest schedule I’ve ever had in high school, but I chose it because these are the subjects I truly care about. Rather, I love my classes and have learned more than all my previous years of high school, but I feel that my grades don’t reflect this at all.</p>
<p>I don’t want my grades this semester to completely ruin my shot at Tufts – would a letter explaining my situation or letters from my teachers make any impact, or is this situation as awful as I feel it is?</p>
<p>The answer to your final question is, frankly: it depends. If you’re grades were already soft for Tufts in 9-11, then not being able to demonstrate in 12 that you can notch your work up can be a hurdle. But, if you’ve got strong work in your earlier years and your senior year (so far) is an aberation, then you can help yourself a little more.</p>
<p>I think the letter from a guidance counselor sounds like a thoughtful idea. If he/she is able and feels comfortable, encourage your counselor (or teacher) to talk about the work your doing since being ill, and the results you’ve gotten since returning to school on a more regular basis.</p>
<p>Hello Dan.
I am an international student. I want admission officers to know my school’s ranking system. We have three different curriculums but my high school ranks all student by only mere numbers not according to curriculum. As a result students coming from other curriculums seems like better students than me. How can I explain this situation? Should I talk with my counselor to explain ranking?</p>
<p>Hello Dan,</p>
<p>I was just deferred from ED2 today. I am obviously disappointed but recognize that everything happens for a reason. My second quarter grades have been fantastic which is good. But what can I do to make sure that the admissions office understands my continued interest in Tufts? Should I submit an additional letter of recommendation? Or just a personal note from myself explaining my continued interest in the school? And when should I submit it? Also, if possible, do you have a percentage of admitted deferred students?? Sorry for all of the questions!</p>
<p>tidalwavefan19 I was also deferred but let’s NOT lose hope! If we really are supposed to end up at Tufts, it will happen. The extra waiting period is a downer but personally I think it makes me work harder because honestly if I got in ED2…senioritis would have hit REALLY bad 
So let’s keep goin at it!</p>
<p>“I WISH I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW!” I am a Freshman at Duke. If I had to do it all over again I would make sure to have FUN the end of my senior year! I rushed it all. I was so hung up on writing essays and college decisions that I was too stressed out for much else. My advice to current HS seniors is to work hard on college materials but once it is in clear your head for a while. Enjoy the end of the school year. You will get into a college that is right for you. I have been where you are now, I understand and I know.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I’m a deferred candidate from ED2 but I made this blog as a response and it would be awesome if you guys checked it out! Thanks
thetuftschallenge.blogspot.com</p>