College application volume through the Common App has risen by nearly 94% since 2020 with over 10 million applications submitted in the 2024-25 cycle. Following this increased competitiveness, more college-bound seniors than ever are taking strategic advantage of the early application rounds, which can be a win-win for both students and colleges.
For colleges, with daunting numbers of applications to review, getting a portion of the applications in and read before the New Year helps spread the workload over more months in a constricted schedule. It also helps colleges shape their incoming classes, knowing that a portion of the class is admitted and guaranteed to matriculate in the fall through binding early decision programs. This benefit of enrollment management is spurring the growing percentage of colleges that fill significant portions of their incoming class in the early rounds. According to advocacy group Class Action, “The number of colleges and universities that admit more than 40% of their enrolled freshmen through ED—73 in total—has grown by almost 50 percent since 2015.” This list of primarily selective colleges is capped by Davidson College (69% of class filled early), followed by Middlebury College and Emory University (both fill 68% of their classes early).
Ivy Plus (Ivy+) colleges included on this list are:
- Washington University in St. Louis (at 66%)
- Duke University (60%)
- Johns Hopkins University (60%)
- Dartmouth College (58%)
- Northwestern University (56%)
- Columbia University (55%)
- Brown University (52%)
- University of Pennsylvania (55%)
- Vanderbilt University (51%)
- +And certainly, University of Chicago (although it does not release early round data)
THE EARLY DECISION BANDWAGON
The advantage of the early round for colleges is further highlighted by the number of schools rolling out new early rounds this year:
- Notable colleges with new Early Action (EA) rounds this year: Brandeis University, Oberlin College, University of Arizona, University of San Diego
- Notable colleges with new Early Decision1 (ED1) rounds this year: Pepperdine University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of San Diego, and University of Southern California (Marshall School of Business)
For students, a major benefit of applying to college in the early rounds is receiving an admissions decision ahead of the regular timeline. Already this year, students heard from Villanova University (November 21st), Loyola Marymount University (November 25th), and Tulane University (November 26th) before Thanksgiving, followed by Boston College (December 2nd), Bucknell University (December 4th), and Texas Christian University (December 5th). Applying early can also confer a significant statistical advantage for applicants, often increasing their odds of acceptance two-fold.
But what does it mean if you don’t receive a concrete acceptance or denial, but instead an uncertain deferral?
WHAT DOES “DEFERRED” MEAN? HOW GOOD ARE MY CHANCES?
For the many students who take advantage of the early admissions rounds, there are three main possible outcomes: acceptance, denial, or deferral (a rarer option, direct-to-waitlist, is used at a few schools like University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill). Of these, deferred is the least clear-cut: it can usually be interpreted as a decision of “maybe” and means that your application will be reconsidered in the regular round and that you are released from any binding commitment. Although many schools do not release specific deferral data, the most competitive schools roughly follow the benchmarks of Dartmouth College: “5 to 10 percent of candidates deferred in Early Decision are typically admitted” and Georgetown University: “Typically, about 15 percent of the candidates deferred from Early Action are successful during the spring review.”
While a deferral may feel disappointing, the great news is that you have a second chance: you may still be accepted at your top-choice school. It is time to evaluate your chances and possible reason for deferral, and then reassess both your application materials and your application strategy.
Our Deferral Boot Camp does exactly this!
WHAT CAN I DO TO INCREASE MY ODDS NOW?
Your wisest strategy moving forward will depend on the school you have been deferred from, the precise reason for your deferral as best you can judge it, the status of your planned applications, and how much risk you want to take. By being deferred into the Regular Decision (RD) group, you will be in a much larger and more competitive applicant pool.
Here are some important next steps:
1. Follow the instructions from the school where you have been deferred.
Some schools do not want any additional materials, and if they state this, you need to trust them. For example, University of Southern California says via social media: “Friendly reminder! If you were deferred from Early Action, please do not submit additional materials as they will not be considered in your decision.”
Other schools, like University of Virginia, MIT, University of Michigan, and Stanford University have only a short form for essential updates, which must be used wisely.
In most cases, however, you should write a strong and convincing deferral letter.
2. Don’t leave your next move to chance—let’s strategize together! While a deferral, or a denial, can feel like a setback in the moment, it can be a catalyst for ultimate success in the college application process if you proceed quickly and take it as a sign for strategic action. Our experienced counselors help you assess the reason for your early round outcomes and work with you on your most strategic next steps.
DEFERRAL: A STRATEGIC SECOND CHANCE
Since Early Decision represents your strongest commitment to a college, a deferral or denial is, above all, a wake-up call to strengthen your application for the next rounds, whether in Early Decision 2 or Regular Decision. Don’t miss this second chance to reassess your options, evaluate the strength of your application materials, and refine your overall strategy. Our exclusive Deferral Boot Camp has a track-record of success and is designed to help you take proactive steps, strengthen your application, and improve your chances of admission. From crafting compelling update letters to identifying ways to enhance your application, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Want to stay in the loop? Follow us on Instagram @toptieradmissions and subscribe to our blog for expert advice and admissions insights.
Know someone who was deferred from the early round? Pass this along — they’ll thank you later!
As Assistant Director of Admissions, Heidi evaluated and made executive decisions on 7,000+ undergraduate applications to Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences. With additional experience in the admissions offices of Dartmouth College and Temple University, she brings deep insight into the review process at highly selective institutions. Heidi’s admissions experience is complemented by a 15-year career in communications and publishing. As Medical Editor at Cambridge University Press and Science Editor at Cornell University Press, Heidi collaborated with STEM faculty and physician authors to bring dozens of books to successful publication. Heidi now enjoys using both her firsthand admissions experience and editorial skills to advise students on how to distinguish themselves in the admissions process.
After attending Castilleja School in Palo Alto, California, Heidi graduated cum laude with an Honors thesis from Dartmouth College as a double major in Classical Archaeology and Comparative Literature. At the University of Pennsylvania, Heidi was a Williams Fellow in the graduate program of Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World. She has conducted archaeological field work in Sardinia, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.
Latest posts by Heidi Lovette (see all)
