Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:54     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


It sounds just as likely that the regional admissions officer was against your kid but didn’t want to say that. I think it’s highly unlikely that the person would say “I” didn’t like x or y when directly asked by the college counselor.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:51     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Brown?


Brown deferred way more this yea as results came out like 2 days after the tragic on campus shooting. If it is brown I wouldn’t put too much hope into it. I am an alum and basically all alum kids, even the most under qualified, got deferred.


This makes no sense. Are you saying- as your first sentence says - Brown deferred more people because they delayed their ED admission results 2 days because of the shootings?

Ridiculous. Decision were made and were ready that Monday and they were unchanged when they were released 2 days later. You think admissions reconvened and reevaluated? 🙄
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:10     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


We got similar feedback from a T10 to our private's CCO (non-DMV).
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:08     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:Do you know of anyone else at your school applied ED and if anyone got in? That would matter.

Have you asked the college counselor? Sometimes they talk to the school rep and have insight for you.


100%
And Major matters in RD for class shaping. Or other attributes (Talent/ability; demo info).
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:04     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.

Was ABC related to stats, ECs, essays, rec letters or interview? Thanks.


It was about an extracurricular!


That’s crazy! In retrospect, are you/DC glad to have learned that information? As in, at least you know the “why”? Or did it somehow make it worse to hear the AO didn’t like the EC?

Either way, I hope your DC is happy and thriving where they are now!
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 21:01     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


True!
On the other hand, sometimes they defer legacy kids just as a courtesy gesture to their alum.


Interesting.

I’ve heard that some T20 schools do NOT do the courtesy deferrral any more. They only defer legacies who have a genuine shot at getting in RD. Over time, they’ve found that dragging it out for unwualified/marginal legacy applicants only makes alums more upset/angry once the inevitable rejections come.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 20:16     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.

Was ABC related to stats, ECs, essays, rec letters or interview? Thanks.


It was about an extracurricular!
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 20:09     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


Not much information here. Deferral is just that, regional AO strongly advocated, didn't get through comittee review. The rest is standard, not a perfect fit.


yes, but it was very interesting for us to hear what it was about our kid's app that was the stumbling point (which I'm not going to share here).


I don't think you need to take that stumbling point too serious. The only reason is that there aren't enough seats.


NP. This is what I was told about our DD (grandparent and sibling legacy) who was deferred. The school has been admitting less and less in the early round, so slots were limited. I am told that those slots are being moved to RD, so hopefully a better chance of her admission in RD. I have heard about 15% of deferrals are admitted. Hoping the theory about deferring legacies to support yield is true!
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:57     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


Not much information here. Deferral is just that, regional AO strongly advocated, didn't get through comittee review. The rest is standard, not a perfect fit.


yes, but it was very interesting for us to hear what it was about our kid's app that was the stumbling point (which I'm not going to share here).


I don't think you need to take that stumbling point too serious. The only reason is that there aren't enough seats.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:55     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.

Was ABC related to stats, ECs, essays, rec letters or interview? Thanks.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:54     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


Not much information here. Deferral is just that, regional AO strongly advocated, didn't get through comittee review. The rest is standard, not a perfect fit.


yes, but it was very interesting for us to hear what it was about our kid's app that was the stumbling point (which I'm not going to share here).
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:52     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:We got feedback from an Ivy regional admissions officer to the college counselor last year and it was basically "I personally really liked the kid and advocated strongly for them but I couldn't convince a committee member from XYZ who didn't like ABC about them."

I never expected to get this much info and it wasn't something my kid could change about themself and yes, that was that. Deferral turned into a waitlist which turned into a rejection.


Not much information here. Deferral is just that, regional AO strongly advocated, didn't get through comittee review. The rest is standard, not a perfect fit.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:52     Subject: Re:Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Please read this back, OP:

- can’t disclose my kid’s HS

- can’t disclose the college I am asking about

- on the one hand stats are in range but on the other, grades maybe on the lower end

- historically, I don’t think this college doesn’t defer kids from this HS school but don’t know what the HS college counselor would say about this

So with all that non specific information, what are the chances my kid will get in?

Should we do an ED2 instead of hoping for positive outcomes in RD?

Oh, and is this mole cancerous?


I’m not sure why most of the information here is required for people to give general feedback and share their experiences. There also seems to be a misunderstanding. Stats can be in range but at the lower end of the range. Additionally, I clarified that the college I’m referring to hasn’t deferred any students from DC’s HS according to historical outcomes.


If you don’t understand how:

- info from your particular high school’s College counselor
- info about the college’s name

Is highly relevant then I don’t know what to tell you. The very fact that most are responding with Brown-specific info shows you that people need the name of the college to help you. Why in the world wouldn’t you ask the HS college counselor??
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:52     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
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).


There was another thread recently. Any insight there?:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1306623.page


Thank you - I will look there.
Anonymous
Post 01/14/2026 19:50     Subject: Insight on ED deferrals?

Anonymous wrote:
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.


True!
On the other hand, sometimes they defer legacy kids just as a courtesy gesture to their alum.