Acceptable Reasons to Defer

[NewMentality]

Hey everyone,

I just received a great offer for my first choice master's program at Johns Hopkins. I'm elated, but going into this application cycle, I had actually planned to defer for a year in order to subdue my student loans a bit, earn some money and hopefully do some volunteering. My idea for the year is to join the Americorps NCCC. It's something I've wanted to do since high school, and as I'm about to be 24, the cutoff age for being a team member in the program, now seems like the perfect time. They also offer an education grant after completion that would put me in a much better financial position to enter grad school.

Tulane made my deferral as easy as a quick email to my advisor, while University of Colorado gave me no choice on the matter, stating that I must reapply next year if I don't matriculate. However, JHU requests that a "detailed letter" be sent to the admissions office with my reasons for requesting a deferral.

My question is, to anyone with deferral experience, do you believe that the reasons listed above would qualify as "acceptable" to an admissions counsel?

I'm aware that nearly all students entering grad school are pressed for money, so I'm not really sure if economic matters are viable reasons for deferral, or if it's mainly saved for students with more acute issues.

Any insight is much appreciated!

[ThisGreatFolly]

Word of warning: the CNCS, the agency that runs AmeriCorps programs, is one of the agencies targeted to be cut in the first look at the new administration's budget. There's no clear indication yet if such a cut will be approved by Congress, but I would be VERY careful about making plans to do AmeriCorps before the matter is decided.

Edited February 22, 2017 by ThisGreatFolly

[NewMentality]

1 hour ago, ThisGreatFolly said:

Word of warning: the CNCS, the agency that runs AmeriCorps programs, is one of the agencies targeted to be cut in the first look at the new administration's budget. There's no clear indication yet if such a cut will be approved by Congress, but I would be VERY careful about making plans to do AmeriCorps before the matter is decided.

Good point. It's a shame that such programs are on the chopping block, especially since they make up such a small fraction of discretionary spending.