Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:22     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Brown?


I won't confirm nor deny to maintain anonymity.


Do you seriously think you have the only LGBT child in the entire DMV applying to Brown
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:12     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


So I think you are also saying that RD applicants from the school also do not get in at RD in DMV area?


In some cases RD applicants did not get in and the university went with similar kids from other schools. In other cases, yes, they took a strong RD kid from the same high school over the deferred ED kid.

I think the psychology of ED deferrals is tricky. It's sort of human nature to go with "new and shiny" vs. something that you've already passed on.



But sometimes they defer ED because they know a legacy will yield RD. This allows them to pick up other kids ED.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:10     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:DC recently deferred from an Ivy ED. Unhooked (unless you consider LGBTQ+ to be a minor one), private feeder in DMV. Counselor loved essays. Stats in range, grades maybe on the lower end but strong rigor.

We are generally confused on what to make of this result. This college doesn’t defer kids from DC’s school per Naviance/SCOIR data. Of course, we will send a LOCI to the school, but does anyone have any insight on what chances are in RD? Should we do an ED2 instead of hoping for positive outcomes in RD?

Some college consulting sites quote 9-10% for deferred students at this Ivy (which is more than the typical RD rate).


Depends on whether your DC has a true second choice for ED2. If not, the issue is moot.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:10     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


Thank you, I appreciate this insight. My father went to the Ivy DC was deferred from for undergrad, and it was listed in DC's application. Grandparent legacy was asked as part of their "legacy" question on CommonApp, but I left that part out because I know grandparent legacy is likely insignificant.


I hope it works out for you. My child was accepted to an Ivy that their grandparent went to for undergrad (child applied RD-->got off wait list). The school says on their paperwork "we do not consider grandparents to be legacy" but I wonder...


Thank you! Congratulations to you and your child - I can imagine how a defer --> waitlist --> accept might have been a rollercoaster. In the end, it seems like it all worked out, which I'm crossing my fingers for this year.

The Ivy I'm referring to also doesn't formally consider grandparent legacy to be a traditional 'legacy' candidate, but I assume that if they ask, it's noted.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:04     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


So I think you are also saying that RD applicants from the school also do not get in at RD in DMV area?


In some cases RD applicants did not get in and the university went with similar kids from other schools. In other cases, yes, they took a strong RD kid from the same high school over the deferred ED kid.

I think the psychology of ED deferrals is tricky. It's sort of human nature to go with "new and shiny" vs. something that you've already passed on.

Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:01     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


Thank you, I appreciate this insight. My father went to the Ivy DC was deferred from for undergrad, and it was listed in DC's application. Grandparent legacy was asked as part of their "legacy" question on CommonApp, but I left that part out because I know grandparent legacy is likely insignificant.


I hope it works out for you. My child was accepted to an Ivy that their grandparent went to for undergrad (child applied RD-->got off wait list). The school says on their paperwork "we do not consider grandparents to be legacy" but I wonder...
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:59     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


So I think you are also saying that RD applicants from the school also do not get in at RD in DMV area?
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:54     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.

....but I left that part out because I know grandparent legacy is likely insignificant.


** Left that part out from the original post on here, I mean.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:53     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.


Thank you, I appreciate this insight. My father went to the Ivy DC was deferred from for undergrad, and it was listed in DC's application. Grandparent legacy was asked as part of their "legacy" question on CommonApp, but I left that part out because I know grandparent legacy is likely insignificant.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:46     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Our experience last year and the experience at our DMV private is that the only kids who got into ivies post deferral were legacies. this is probably because in an area like the DMV there are always a whole lot of well qualified (or better qualified) kids who apply RD. Perhaps in a more rural are, the college is waiting to see if someone better comes along in RD but they don't so they go with the ED candidate. In this area that doesn't happen.

Colleges don't have exact quota per high school or city or region but they sort of do.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:39     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:You already acknowledged grades on the lower end. Could be that or something else entirely.


You bring up a good concern - we think that the defer might be primarily driven by wanting to see mid year grades. DC's school is, however, known for grade deflation.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:38     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
You already acknowledged grades on the lower end. Could be that or something else entirely.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:37     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Anonymous wrote:Brown?


I won't confirm nor deny to maintain anonymity.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:30     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
Brown?
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 18:26     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?
DC recently deferred from an Ivy ED. Unhooked (unless you consider LGBTQ+ to be a minor one), private feeder in DMV. Counselor loved essays. Stats in range, grades maybe on the lower end but strong rigor.

We are generally confused on what to make of this result. This college doesn’t defer kids from DC’s school per Naviance/SCOIR data. Of course, we will send a LOCI to the school, but does anyone have any insight on what chances are in RD? Should we do an ED2 instead of hoping for positive outcomes in RD?

Some college consulting sites quote 9-10% for deferred students at this Ivy (which is more than the typical RD rate).