Waitlisted.

I applied ED to UPenn CAS and got deferred. Where do I go from here? I read somewhere that I should submit a letter of continued interest, but what does that entail? Is that expected or will that heighten my chances of getting accepted?

Deferment is not a waitlist. It’s is basically just a polite rejection. What they’re doing is throwing you back into the pile of applications for regular decision where you have a 96% chance of rejection.

Yes, you should submit a LOCI to your AO via email…and a deferment is not a waitlist. Your deferred app will be reconsidered in RD, whereas a waitlisted app is usually only reconsidered after May 1, should space in the class open up.

Keep the LOCI short and simple…something like ‘Although I’m disappointed that I was deferred Penn remains my #1 choice and I will attend if accepted’. Perhaps add something about a class or professor you would like to work with. Or any recent achievements/good semester 1 grades. Mention something from previous contact with the AO. But, again, short email.

Your HS GC should also make contact with the AO stating the same, and your school should also send an updated transcript with first semester grades.

Good luck.

Thank you so much for your help. I really was in the dark after the decision – I didn’t even know the difference between wait list and deferment! So really, your help will be taken.

My daughter was deferred and admitted in 2023 RD. She sent a page of update (what she did in last 4 months. she directed a drama for the school, sent the donation to suicide prevention since her school had 4 suicides recently. what else she was doing to prevent suicide weave…She got two letters from her dance teachers (Indian and ballet). She gave the link of her dance portfolio in her personal statement…

Don’t lose hope… Give a strong statement (don’t write school academic stuff… they already see the midterm grades)…

New recommendations were loaded as part of personal statement. One pdf.

Is the personal statement just an email? If I wanted to include another recommendation, do I have a teacher send me it in a PDF then attach it to the email? Thank you for your help.

Penn allows you to do a portal update. You create one page letter, your recommendation as one pdf and update through portal.