Your kid got deferred.
Not accepted. Not rejected. Deferred.
Which somehow feels worse than both because now you’re stuck in limbo until March or April, waiting for a final decision while everyone else is celebrating acceptances and posting college decisions on social media.
And this year? It’s feels like it’s happening to MORE students than usual.
We’re hearing it from families. High school counselors are telling us the same thing. Students who applied to multiple schools early action, counting on at least one acceptance, are getting deferred across the board.
These kids are devastated. They don’t know what to do next. And their parents are panicking.
If that’s you right now, I need you to hear something:
This might actually be the best thing that could have happened to your family financially.
Let me explain.
What a Deferral Actually Means (And Doesn’t Mean)
First, let’s get clear on what just happened.
A deferral means:
- The college wants to see your student in the regular decision pool
- They’re not saying no, but they’re also not saying yes yet
- Your student is still in the running, just without any guarantees
A deferral does NOT mean:
- Your kid isn’t good enough
- They made a mistake in their application
- They’re definitely getting rejected later
Deferral rates vary wildly by school. Some colleges defer 50% of early applicants. Some defer 10%.
It’s not personal. It’s enrollment management.
The college is managing their numbers, their yield rate, and their incoming class profile. Your student is a data point in their system, not a referendum on their worth.
Now let’s talk about what you should actually DO.
Step 1: Process the Emotion, Then Get Strategic
Your kid is probably devastated right now.
Let them feel that.
Don’t minimize it. Don’t rush to “everything happens for a reason” platitudes.
A deferral hurts because they put themselves out there, they had hope, and now they’re in uncertainty. That’s real.
Give them 24-48 hours to process.
Then it’s time to shift gears.
Because while your student is processing emotions, you need to be making a plan.
Here’s the truth most families miss: A deferral just gave you time you didn’t think you had.
Time to look at other schools. Time to compare financial aid offers. Time to make a smart decision instead of an emotional one.
Step 2: Look at the Financial Reality You Were Avoiding
Here’s the uncomfortable question most families don’t ask when applying early:
Could you actually afford that school if they’d said yes?
Be honest.
Did you run the numbers in MyCAP before your student applied early?
Do you know what that school would actually cost your family?
Do you have a backup plan if the financial aid offer doesn’t match what you need?
If the answer is no (and for most families, it is), then this deferral just saved you from a commitment you might not have been able to keep.
Early Decision is binding. If your student had been accepted ED, you would’ve been locked in. The only out is if the aid doesn’t work.
Early Action isn’t binding, but the emotional pressure to commit to the school that accepted you early is intense. Families who get EA acceptances often don’t seriously consider other options because the decision feels made.
A deferral removes that pressure.
Now you HAVE to look at other schools. You HAVE to wait for financial aid offers. You HAVE to compare options side by side.
That’s not a punishment.
That’s a gift.
Step 3: Build a Real College List (With Financial Fit Included)
If your student applied early to one school and is now deferred, it’s time to ask:
What other schools are on the list?
And more importantly: Are any of them actually affordable?
This is the moment to get serious about financial fit, not just academic or social fit.
Here’s what to do:
See What Schools Will Actually Cost YOUR Family
If you haven’t done this yet, do it this week.
Most families try to run individual net price calculators on each school’s website. They enter the same information over and over, 10, 15, 20 times. It’s tedious, time-consuming, and the results are nearly impossible to compare because every school formats them differently (and they’re outdated!)
That’s why we built MyCAP.
Enter your financial information once. Add all the schools on your list. See estimated costs side by side in one dashboard.
MyCAP shows you what each school would actually cost YOUR family after grants and scholarships. No repetitive data entry. No confusing formats. Just clear, comparable numbers.
If the estimated net cost is already outside your budget, that school might not be a fit.
And you’re better off knowing that NOW instead of in April when your kid is already emotionally attached.
Try MyCAP free here – you can compare up to 3 schools in the free version, or upgrade to $4.99/month for unlimited comparisons and advanced search features.
Add Schools That Want Your Student (And Will Pay for Them)
One of the biggest mistakes families make after a deferral: they double down on reach schools.
“If School A deferred them, let’s add Schools B, C, and D that are even more competitive.”
Stop.
Your student needs schools that will actually WANT them. Schools where they’re in the top 25% of applicants academically. Schools that will offer significant merit aid because your kid’s profile is attractive to them.
These aren’t “backup schools.” These are smart schools.
Use MyCAP’s advanced search features to find schools where your student’s GPA and test scores put them in the running for serious merit scholarships. Add 3-5 of these to your list if you don’t have them already.
Compare Schools Side by Side (Don’t Just Hope)
Here’s where most families go wrong: they apply to 10-15 schools, get a bunch of acceptance letters, and then try to compare financial aid offers in a panic in late March.
Don’t do that.
Use MyCAP to compare schools NOW, before you even apply.
Add your student’s profile. Add the schools on their list. See estimated costs side by side. Make decisions based on data, not hope.
When the actual financial aid letters arrive in March and April, you’ll already have a framework for comparison instead of scrambling to figure it out under deadline pressure.
Start comparing schools in MyCAP today.
Step 4: Decide if You’re Going to Write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)
Some deferred students will write a Letter of Continued Interest to the college.
This is a short letter (or sometimes an update through the application portal) that says: “I’m still very interested in attending your school. Here’s what I’ve been doing since I applied. I’d love to be reconsidered in the regular decision pool.”
Should your student write one?
It depends.
Write a LOCI if:
- The school is still genuinely their top choice (not just the only school they emotionally prepared for)
- They have meaningful updates to share (new awards, accomplishments, leadership roles since applying)
- The school explicitly says they welcome updates from deferred students (check their deferral letter or website)
Don’t write a LOCI if:
- You’re only doing it because you feel like you “should”
- They don’t have anything new or meaningful to add
- You’re secretly hoping the deferral turns into a rejection so you can move on
Need help writing a Letter of Continued Interest? Download our Letter of Continued Interest guide for templates, examples, and what to include.
Here’s the financial reality check:
Before your student spends time on a LOCI, ask yourself: Even if they get accepted in the regular round, can we afford this school?
If the answer is “probably not,” don’t invest energy convincing a school to accept your kid when you might have to say no anyway.
Focus that energy on finding schools that are both a fit AND affordable.
Step 5: Keep Regular Decision Applications Moving
This is not the time to pause and wait.
Your student still has regular decision deadlines coming up (most are January 1-15).
Those applications need to be finished and submitted on time.
Do not let a deferral derail the rest of the process.
I’ve seen families put all their energy into one deferred school, ignore other applications, and end up with limited options in the spring.
Don’t let that be you.
Keep moving forward. Submit the applications. Request transcripts. Send test scores. Stay on track.
And as you’re finalizing that list, use this deferral as a wake-up call to make sure you’re applying to schools your family can actually afford.
Step 6: Prepare for Financial Aid Letters to Arrive in March/April
Deferred students who get accepted in the regular round will receive their financial aid offers at the same time as everyone else: March or April.
Here’s what you need to do now to be ready:
File FAFSA and CSS Profile on Time
If you haven’t filed the FAFSA yet, do it ASAP. It opened in October, and some schools have priority deadlines in early February.
If any schools on your list require the CSS Profile, file that too. Check each school’s financial aid deadline and get it done.
Late financial aid forms = less aid.
Don’t miss deadlines because you were waiting on a deferral decision.
Need help with FAFSA? Download our FAFSA Guide for step-by-step instructions.
Need help with CSS Profile? Grab our CSS Profile Playbook to avoid common mistakes.
Know What to Look for in Award Letters
When financial aid letters start arriving in the spring, you need to know how to read them.
Most letters are intentionally confusing. They list big “award” numbers at the top that include loans (which aren’t aid – they’re debt you have to repay).
Here’s what actually matters:
- Total Cost of Attendance – The real price: tuition + fees + room + board + books + expenses
- Grants and Scholarships – Free money that doesn’t need to be repaid
- Loans – Debt, not aid
- Work-Study – Money your student can earn, but it’s not guaranteed
- Net Cost – Cost of Attendance minus grants/scholarships = what you actually pay
Upload Letters to MyCAP for Translation
When those letters arrive, don’t try to compare them on your own.
Different schools format letters differently. Some make it easy to see the bottom line. Some bury it. Some list loans as “aid.” Some don’t.
Upload your letters to MyCAP and we’ll translate them into plain language.
You’ll see:
- What’s free money vs what’s loans
- Your real net cost at each school
- Side-by-side comparisons so you can actually make a decision
This is especially important if your deferred school accepts your student in the regular round. You’ll need to compare their offer against other schools quickly, and MyCAP makes that easy.
The Hidden Gift in a Deferral: Time to Make a Smart Decision
I know this doesn’t feel like a gift right now.
Your student is disappointed. You’re stressed. Everyone else seems to have clarity and you’re still waiting.
But here’s what I’ve seen over and over again:
Families who are forced to compare options make better decisions than families who commit early out of emotion.
The students who get into their dream school ED and commit immediately? Some are fine. Some end up drowning in debt they didn’t see coming because they never compared the financial aid offer to other schools.
The students who get deferred and have to seriously evaluate multiple schools? They end up at places that fit them academically, socially, AND financially.
And four years later, they’re graduating without regret.
A deferral is giving you the time to be strategic.
Use it.
Action Plan: What to Do This Week
If your student was deferred, here’s your immediate to-do list:
Today:
- Let your student process the emotion (give them 24-48 hours)
- Have an honest conversation about financial fit: “Could we actually afford that school if they’d said yes?”
This Week:
3. Use MyCAP to see estimated costs for EVERY school on your list (enter your info once, compare all schools side by side)
4. Add 3-5 financially realistic schools if you don’t have them already (use MyCAP’s search tool) 5. Make sure all regular decision applications are submitted by their deadlines
6. File your FAFSA if you haven’t already (and CSS Profile if needed)
Before February:
7. Sign up for MyCAP (free version or $4.99/month for unlimited schools and advanced features)
8. Decide if your student is writing a Letter of Continued Interest (only if it’s genuine and they have updates – download our LOCI guide here)
9. Download our College Budget Worksheet and map out what you can realistically afford
When Letters Arrive (March/April):
10. Upload all financial aid letters to MyCAP for side-by-side comparison
11. Make your decision based on fit + affordability, not just emotion
You’re Not Behind. You’re Right on Time.
A deferral feels like a setback.
But what it actually is? A chance to make a better decision.
Your student is going to end up at a school that wants them, values them, and that your family can afford.
Maybe it’s the school that deferred them (and if so, you’ll have other offers to compare it to).
Maybe it’s a school they haven’t even visited yet.
But you’re not behind. You’re not failing.
You’re in the same place as thousands of other families right now, and you have time to get this right.
Use the resources. Run the numbers. Compare the options.
And when decision day comes in May, you’ll make a choice you feel good about for reasons that go beyond a name on a sweatshirt.
You’ve got this.
Resources for Deferred Students & Their Families:
- Try MyCAP Free – Compare college costs before and after letters arrive
- Download FAFSA Guide – Step-by-step help filing financial aid forms
- Download CSS Profile Playbook – Avoid common CSS Profile mistakes
- Get the College Budget Worksheet – Map out your realistic 4-year budget
- Book a Free 15-Minute Discovery Call – See what the “next best steps” are for your family
About College Aid Pro: We help families navigate college costs with clarity and confidence. Learn more about how we work with families or join our email list for weekly tips on shopping smarter for college.
