Request for deferral granted : what next?

[theartcritic]

Hi

I was accepted to my dream college for fall 2015. Due to unforeseen reasons I had to request a deferral which was granted through an official deferral notice from the college. The email said that I would receive a fresh acceptance letter in 2016.

This is the first time that I have applied to a US college as an international student. I keep hearing that one should stay in touch with the college in the case of a deferral. My question is : how do I stay in touch: as in - how often? And what should I write in my emails. Does a granted deferral mean a confirmed admission/ acceptance for the following year?

Is there anything else that I need to know in this case?

Thanks for the help.

[rising_star]

If you're going to be getting a fresh acceptance letter in 2016, then there's really nothing else you need to do now. There's no reason to stay in touch with the admissions office via email or phone in the interim. I would wait until you get the new acceptance letter to contact them.

[theartcritic]

Thank you for the reply rising_star. I appreciate it. I request you to help me out with two more questions:

 

1. What is the difference between a deferral being granted after acceptance and a deferred decision? My situation is the first one, but just want to be sure.

 

2. In case there are a number of deferrals granted after acceptances, are they all accepted the next season or is there a further process of scrutiny to allow for only a few acceptances(from the deferrals) along with the fresh applicants?

 

Thanks again.

[TakeruK]

Thank you for the reply rising_star. I appreciate it. I request you to help me out with two more questions:

 

1. What is the difference between a deferral being granted after acceptance and a deferred decision? My situation is the first one, but just want to be sure.

 

2. In case there are a number of deferrals granted after acceptances, are they all accepted the next season or is there a further process of scrutiny to allow for only a few acceptances(from the deferrals) along with the fresh applicants?

 

Thanks again.

 

1. There aren't any formal definitions of these terms and each school may interpret/use them differently. If you are unsure about any of the terms of your deferral, you should request your school to clarify. But in general, a deferral granted after acceptance means that you and the school have already agreed that you will attend that school, however, you are not starting right away. A deferred decision means that neither you nor the school have decided anything and both parties are postponing the decision for another date. 

 

2. If you are saying that you are being granted a deferral after an acceptance, then you are already accepted. However, financial support/funding offers may not be automatically granted for next year: you may have to compete with the fresh applicants for funding. Again, you should find out what the terms of your deferral offer are by asking the school.

 

Since you say that the school told you that you will get a fresh acceptance letter in 2016, this sounds like the new letter will supercede the 2015 acceptance letter. If you have a funding offer in your 2015 letter, you should talk to the school to find out how they will consider you for funding in 2016 (e.g. will you have to re-compete? will they make the same offer as 2015? etc.).

[smpalesh]

I was accepted to UofT for fall 2014 but due to my health I couldn't attend.  They deferred my acceptance until fall 2015 and I received a new acceptance letter when the fresh batch of acceptances went in.  A deferral means your spot is guaranteed for the following year.