What to Do if You Are Deferred to the Regular Decision Pool Brennan Barnard is the director of college counseling at the Derryfield School in Manchester, N.H. From small liberal arts colleges to Ivy League schools to large universities, I have yet to speak to a college that has seen a decrease or remained stagnant in early applications. I am no statistician, but this seems like fuzzy math. What I do know is that institutions of higher education are rethinking their traditional enrollment management models, wondering what the winter and spring will bring in terms of application numbers and yield. This means that, over the next two weeks, many early admission college applicants will receive a decision letter that is neither thick nor thin. Instead, they will tear open the mail (or log into a Web site) to find that they have been deferred to the regular decision pool. The question then becomes: what does this mean for their candidacy, and how do they respond? One meaning of the verb "defer" is to put off or delay. This is exactly what colleges will do to an increasing number of seniors this year. The decision to admit or deny them admission will be postponed until the early spring. Perhaps a college wants to see how the applicant's grades are trending; maybe it is awaiting new and improved test scores. It could be that colleges have had an overwhelming number of strong candidates in the early pool and have opted to delay their decisions until they can assess the caliber of the rest of the applicant pool. A deferral could also indicate that the admission office considers the applicant admissible, but is being cautious in predicting the final application numbers. Another meaning of the verb "defer" includes the idea of submission. Now is not the time for a candidate to surrender, succumbing to what may seem like a lost cause. I encourage students to view this as an affirmative outcome, one that puts the ball back in their court to make their case. Students, however, must be sure to submit other college applications to ensure that there will be options in the spring. Here are some proactive steps that deferred students can take: Follow directions. If the deferral letter requests additional information to be added to your file, be sure to submit the appropriate materials. If you are directed not to send further documents, heed this advice. Stay focused. This is not the time to contract senioritis, allowing grades to slide or making poor decisions that might lead to disciplinary action. Keep the admissions office updated. Unless otherwise discouraged (see above), it is wise to send recent grades or test scores if they have improved (which they should). Submit more recommendations. It is often helpful to submit an additional letter of support from a teacher, coach, director or employer. Unless you are asked to withhold further recommendations, send one more that provides a unique perspective on you as an individual. Do not, however, inundate the college's office with multiple letters that simply reiterate what it already knows. Present your latest accomplishments. If you have won any awards, gained recognition, completed a unique project or perhaps solved the national deficit since you first submitted your application, be sure to provide these details to the admission office. Keep in mind, these individuals have a lot of reading to do this winter, so do not overwhelm them with minutiae. Demonstrate interest. It could be that you were deferred because of a lack of demonstrated interest. If you failed to convince the admission committee of your desire to attend the college, perhaps it tabled your application until it had a better sense of your enthusiasm. If the college is your top choice, express this to the admission office in a letter or e-mail. If it is not your No. 1 school, show your firm interest in the college without being disingenuous. Unless instructed to withhold contact, an occasional e-mail to ask an intelligent question and reiterate your desire to attend can be useful. Don't show up unannounced. Martha Merrill, the dean of admission and financial aid at Connecticut College, advises against showing up at the admission office to "plead your case." Unless the deferral letter suggests that you visit campus for an interview, do not arrive at the admission office's door during what is a busy time of application review for regular decision.