If you opened your college portal and saw ‘deferred’ or ‘rejected’, you know that gut-punch feeling. It’s kinda like waiting for a text back from someone you really want to hear from and then hearing nothing for days.
Here’s the thing: you might be here, googling ‘rejected early action next steps’ or ‘early decision denied: how to proceed’, and honestly? You’re already doing more than most applicants. You cared enough to ask what now, which means you’re still in the game. And trust me, a deferral isn’t the death of a dream, nor is a rejection the end. Let’s walk this through.
Quick Reality Check: What Do Those Letters Actually Mean?
Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) are college application rounds that give a decision earlier than the regular deadline.
- ED is binding: if you get in, you must go.
- EA isn’t binding: you can still wait for other offers.
So when you get an ED deferral, that’s basically the college saying, “We’re not ready to say yes or no yet; please come back in regular decision.” Whereas early decision rejection means… well, they closed the door. Both hurt. But one still keeps your hopes alive.
Early Decision vs Early Action (and Regular Decision)
Quick table to visualise how these differ:
APPLICATION TYPE | IS IT BINDING? | DECISION TIMING | FLEXIBILITY |
Early Decision (ED) | Yes | December | Must attend if accepted |
Early Action (EA) | No | December | Can wait for other offers |
Regular Decision (RD) | No | March-April | Standard review |
Deferral vs Rejection – The Difference
These two are often lumped together emotionally, but they’re very different.
Deferred from Early Action Advice: A deferral means your application will be reviewed again with the regular decision pool. This is actually kind of good news; it means the admissions team likes parts of your profile but wants more data or context before saying yes.
Rejected Early Action / ED:
Here, you’re not moving forward with that school’s pool. With ED, that’s final. With EA, it’s final for this round, and you still have RD to try.
Many students prefer a rejection over a deferral because at least you can start redirecting your energy. Funny how disappointment sometimes brings clarity, right?
Step-by-Step Next Moves After a Deferral
If you’re figuring out what to do after EA deferral, here’s a practical checklist:
1) Send a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)
Tell the school:
- You’re still very interested
- What you’ve done since applying (grades, projects, awards)
- Why this school is still your top choice
Include specifics like name professors, mention programmes like Computer Science Research Track, Wharton Finance Concentration, Harvard Neurobiology Programme, Stanford Symbolic Systems, Yale Global Affairs, etc. showing you did your homework. Don’t just say “still interested”. Say why you are interested.
2) Update Your Grades
Often, schools defer because they want to see first-semester senior grades. Submit them as soon as available.
3) Add Any New Achievements
Did you win a competition? Finish an internship? Lead a community project? Share it immediately so admission officers can see your progress.
4) Stay Organized but Realistic
Don’t spam them. One LOCI and one update are enough. Keep the tone humble and clear.
5) Keep Working on Your RD Apps
Just because you’re deferred doesn’t mean you can’t get into that dream school,ol but you still need backups.
Next Moves After a Rejection
If you got rejected from ED/EA:
1) Re-evaluate Your List
Maybe your reach schools were a bit out of reach statistically… and maybe that’s okay. (It happens to most of us.) Acceptance rates for early rounds at top schools can be brutally low, like around 8–10% at Harvard or Yale in early action cycles.
2) Double-Down on Your RD Strategy
Your regular decision apps are now the most important ones you’ll write all year.
3) Consider ED II (if offered).
Some schools have a second early round later in the year – research if that’s an option for you.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Let’s look at some real data.
School | ED/EA Deferral Rate | RD Acceptance Post-Deferral | Overall RD Rate |
Yale (EA) | 50% | 5-10% | 10.5% |
Johns Hopkins (ED) | 35-40% | 10-15% | 6.1% |
Georgetown (EA) | 85% | 10-12% | 10% |
Emory (ED) | 30-35% | 12-18% | 11% |
Notre Dame (REA) | 45-50% | 8-12% | 11% |
Dartmouth (ED) | Varies | 5-10% | N/A |
A LOT of students are deferred or rejected simply because the applicant pool is huge and only a small percentage get in early. Don’t take it personally, as it’s just numbers.
Also: early acceptance rates are still generally higher than regular decision for many schools. But since first-round apps have so many strong candidates, they defer or deny a huge chunk.
Real Talk: Mental Health & Perspective
I vividly remember a student from high school who applied ED to his dream school, all pumped up, essays perfected, and got a deferral. He was devastated at first. He watched others celebrate “green confetti” screenshots in group chats, and it felt like a punch in the gut. But here’s where my thinking changed not overnight but gradually:
Your worth is not defined by a single college’s decision.
That one letter doesn’t measure your potential, your hard work, or your future success. It doesn’t. Many students who were deferred end up thriving at other schools, and many who were rejected from reaches still make great lives and careers. And sometimes that deferral or rejection redirects you into an even better fit.
What Not to Do
You might feel emotion, all, and that’s totally human, but avoid these traps:
1. Do not delete your other applications
2. Do not obsess over forums or Reddit polls
3. Do not treat deferral as a personal failure
4. Do not send dozens of emails to admissions
Think strategic, not reactive.
Dealing with a deferral or rejection from early rounds?
FAQ
Q: If I were deferred, what are my chances in RD?
A: It varies by school and applicant pool, but many deferred students do get accepted later, especially if they update their grades and achievements and show continued interest.
Q: Should I write a LOCI if rejected?
A: No. LOCIs help only in deferrals. A rejection is final, so shift your energy toward strong Regular Decision applications or ED II options.
Q: Should I apply ED II?
A: Yes, only if that school is truly your top choice and you can submit a stronger application than before. It can increase chances for competitive colleges.
Q: What if I’m burnt out?
A: Step back, rest a day or two, and breathe, because burnout is real. Reset your headspace and return to RD apps with clarity and fresh focus.
