@charja agreed! the process is very flawed… It’s sad to know that a lot of students are applying and getting accepted into my top school-- a school that they wouldn’t even consider, just to be able to say they got into it.
@becautious - BRAVO!!! Thank you!
charaja and becautious THANK YOU! I’m really upset right now because of my deferral. I know many people in my school who will not be attending umass but Ivy League schools. It’s annoying that this happens and unfair. Umass is my top school and I expected to be accepted as well so im hoping regular decision goes well. Good luck to everyone
Deferred. 3.7 GPA 1300/1990 SAT. I’m so upset. UMass is my top choice, and I’ve said since October that if I get in, I will attend for sure. I did apply for nursing, so I guess it makes sense. I’m just really upset and frustrated with this whole process.
Also got deferred tonight. Applied EA 3.4 GPA UW, Honors and AP classes, 21 ACT score. I know it is on the lower side but I did apply EA and for an undeclared major. I have been accepted to multiple other schools but UMass was my number one. It is frustrating to know that there are so many people who have been accepted and will not attend. I am expecting to be thrown on the wait list. At least its only a one semester wait…
@Cjs1058 @JamieH agreed! UMass was my top school too. I have also been accepted to many other schools but there is no where else I saw myself besides UMass. Best of luck to you both, – hopefully we all hear positive news come April.
When my son was applying to colleges, he had absolutely no intention of attending UMass. It wasn’t even on his radar, but he applied anyways. Once the dust settled, he began evaluating his offers, revisited schools, and examined the programs in his intended major. In the end, he decided to attend UMass, a school he had never really seriously considered. He didn’t make his final decision until several weeks before the May deadline. Currently, he’s a sophomore CompSci major, although he applied and was accepted to all of his school options as Engineering.
To those that think that kids shouldn’t apply Early Action if they have no intention of attending, one never knows what the final decision might be. UMass is a great school. Perhaps there should be an Early Decision option for those who absolutely want to attend, but those kids may miss out on other school options they weren’t expecting to love. My son was initially fixated on Northeastern.
To those that are stressing and pacing, just remember that the response deadline is in May…and this is only January. Is the process perfect? Far from it. Is it maddening? Only if you let it be maddening. Consider taking a deep breath, relaxing and enjoying your senior year. You’ve earned it.
Good luck to all 
My S was deferred last night also. 3.7W gpa, ACT 34, several honors classes, computer science AP 5. Club co-captain. Major: computer science. Submitted EA in mid of October, waited so long, Hopefully we can get in in April.
@kmother17 your son’s stats are well above the Umass averages. I am shocked! If I were you I would have your son call admissions and ask them why. Maybe it was a mistake.
Thanks @2018eastorwest . Thought he had not problem to get in since he is in the green area in naviance graph.
Will call them.
D was deferred last night. Nursing Major. 4.0 gpa (W) / 3.7 (UW) ACT 25 Out of state.
Almost all honors, also AP and college credits. Plenty of activities.
@kmother17 He could also ask his Guidance Counselor call while he is in the office, if he is unsure of what to say. But I would act on this right away. Express his disappointment and intention to enroll if admitted. Gook luck
@kmother17. Sorry to hear about your son’s deferral. I am losing faith in the naviance graphs as well. Our school uses a 10 year period for the stats. It seems as if many of the colleges are much more competitive in the last few years .Seems like a crap shoot to me.
@mcr76 Didn’t mean to sound like sour grapes at all. I was trying to encourage everyone that where you go to college absolutely does not matter in the real world once you get that 1st job. I was also stating that UMASS and all Mass schools need to consider that the SAT and ACT mean absolutely nothing, have been proven to have no bearing on success rate at college and in life, and are actually being thrown out by many prestigious institutions. I also was saying that they should consider accepting more in-state or in-region students in order to increase the chances that these fabulous, well-rounded kids stay in region upon graduation. I agree that UMASS has risen but it is not ranked above UCONN as far as public research universities are concerned. UCONN is rated #19 and UMASS AM is #29. UCONN is approx 50% acceptance rate, while UMASS AM is approx 62%. Again though, college is what you make of it. Whether you go to Framingham State, Harvard, UCONN, UMASS, or wherever, there are no guarantees. None of these kids should get too HIGH on themselves for getting in out of the gate or too LOW on themselves if they were deferred or denied. They all seem like good, well-rounded kids that really care, and any school would be lucky to have. I think UMASS ran out of time, got tired of getting skewered on line for being so late with their promised decision dates for all these EA kids, that they pushed anyone they hadn’t decided on yet into a pile that they would get to later. That’s totally understandable and I’d rather them give a slow yes to these fine young adults than a quick no. I am sure they are doing the best they can in a record year. It’s just that while waiting a lot of these great kids will drift towards other schools and it will be a loss for UMASS Amherst. AGAIN though, no one should let a denial or deferral define them. Have a plan B&C and be really thankful for the other schools who have accepted you. Wherever you go, make the most of it, get internships in your chosen field, get really connected on LinkedIn and you will be fine. There is sooo much more to success in the real world than where you go to college. Most Fortune 500 CEO, CFO’s, CTO’s and CMO’s went to mid-western, small colleges that most people have never even heard of. There is no one school with some sort of ‘it factor’. There are a lot of great options. All shall be well.
Thanks @2018eastorwest and @Asil65. I did not know they use 10 year period stats for naviance graphs, thought just from last year’s stats. And I think @becautious is right at: "I think UMASS ran out of time, got tired of getting skewered on line for being so late with their promised decision dates for all these EA kids, that they pushed anyone they hadn’t decided on yet into a pile that they would get to later. ". Our last name starts with “Z”, guess they did not really have time to review my son’s application.
@becautious you are obviously very upset your S was deferred and of course you are. As I read through this forum I suggest you read post #636 you yourself wrote. It was good advice!! And sometimes things happen for a reason. Best of luck, your son will be fine wherever he ends up!!
My daughter is currently a freshman in the honors college. UMass Amherst is a great school and there is a reason that more and more students want to attend. Excellent professors, beautiful campus, lots of choice, exceptional value and unlimited opportunities. It is no longer a “safety” school. You’ve got to work to get in these days but isn’t that what we should expect and want in our state that regards education so highly?
I understand that waiting for a decision is stressful but I firmly believe that UMass admissions does an honorable job in creating its freshman class. Suggesting that they just “run out of time” or “get tired” is untrue and you are deluding yourself. The people I’ve met and heard from at accepted students days and orientation are very dedicated, care greatly and want to get it right. Last year they had 40,000 apps to go through with multiple readings. And, yes, you have to meet a certain threshold and every year it increases. (LIKELY students have a 3.7(uw)/4.0 gpa, and the 2015 acceptance rate is 58%.) This is good news for serious students AND for Massachusetts! If you’re interested in CS, Isenberg, engineering or nursing (all higher rated than UConn btw) your stats need to be even higher. For Isenberg, nothing lower than a 3.9 (w) gpa is competitive. It’s an excellent program and competition for a spot is strong. For CHC, the average gpa is 4.2 (w) and rising.
My daughter was accepted to several “competitive” and “elite” schools (including NESCACs). She was planning to attend one until she went to an accepted students’ day, which included a CHC welcome and an Isenberg session. That day changed everything! Now all the other “elite” schools were left to measure up to UMass! As another parent alluded to earlier, who knew?! What a pleasant surprise. It has turned out that UMass was the right place for her. She couldn’t be happier and we are very proud of her achievement.
So, congratulations to all who are accepted. To those who worked hard enough to be invited into CHC, you are fortunate indeed. To those who were dedicated to UMass and didn’t get in, or decide to go elsewhere, you will find your place and it will turn out for the best. Somehow this all works out in the end. Best of luck to all.
It seems like everything recently has been deferrals or rejections. Are the acceptances done for now? Anyone get accepted this week?
Got deferred with a 3.2 UW and 1680 from the best high school in new york state. does anybody know if its easier to get in regular admissions?
There’s a higher acceptance rate for Early Action, but the EA applicants typically have higher stats. @alexdamato15