Does Brown defer a lot of students?

Yes, Brown University often defers a significant portion of its Early Decision (ED) applicants, typically around 17-30%, rather than accepting them outright, because many well-qualified ED candidates are held for reconsideration alongside the Regular Decision (RD) pool. While deferral means your application is strong enough to be considered again, Brown still denies more ED applicants than it defers or accepts, reflecting its highly selective nature.

How many people get deferred from Brown?

Yes, Brown historically defers significantly more students than it accepts. This past Early Decision cycle, for the Class of 2028, Brown's admission rate was 14.38% and the deferral rate was 16.8%. The year before, for the Class of 2027, the ED admission rate was 12.98% and the deferral rate was 19%.

Why does Brown defer students?

For other early applicants, we defer the final decision until spring to be able to reconsider this group along with Regular Decision candidates. What does a "deferral" to the Regular Decision process really mean? Students whose Early Decision applications are deferred are well-qualified for study at Brown.

What percentage of deferred students get accepted?

About 5-20% of deferred college applicants get accepted, though this varies significantly by school, with many top universities accepting around 10% of deferred students, while some highly selective ones might see lower or slightly higher rates, like Georgia Tech's ~20% in some years, making a strong Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) and senior year improvements crucial. 

Is getting deferred from an ivy good?

Short answer: yes--an Ivy League deferral can be a positive outcome when viewed strategically. It preserves admission possibility, gives time to strengthen your application, and often signals genuine interest from the school rather than rejection.

What to do When You're Deferred | 5 Tips to Get Accepted

Is a deferral a soft rejection?

A deferral isn't a definitive rejection but a "maybe," meaning your application is held for review with the regular decision (RD) pool, not a 'no', though chances are lower and it can feel like a soft rejection because most deferred students aren't admitted. It signals you're a potentially good candidate but the college needs to compare you to the full applicant pool and see your first-semester senior grades before making a final decision.
 

Which ivy has the highest deferral rate?

Harvard and Columbia typically defer most of the applicant pool, putting off their final Decision for the Regular Decision round (and thereby getting the hopes up of so many doomed applicants!).

Is it better to get waitlisted or deferred?

Generally, being deferred is better than being waitlisted because deferral means your application gets a second, full review with the regular decision pool, offering a stronger chance to improve your standing with new materials, whereas waitlisted means the school couldn't admit you but might if space opens up after accepted students enroll, a much less certain outcome. Deferral implies potential, while waitlist implies a backup, dependent on others declining, making deferral often more promising. 

What are the disadvantages of a deferral?

Disadvantages of deferrals (like for compensation or loans) include company bankruptcy risk (losing funds if the employer fails), limited access/flexibility (money locked in, no early withdrawals), tax risks (paying higher income tax later), company-specific risk (over-concentration in one stock), and potential for "golden handcuffs" (forfeiting funds if you leave early). For loans, it can mean added fees, interest, or a greater debt burden later, while college deferrals can delay graduation and create ** uncertainty**.
 

Why are so many kids getting deferred?

Many kids are getting deferred because colleges face huge numbers of strong early applicants, want to see senior year grades, need to build balanced classes (majors, backgrounds), and want to assess "yield" (who will actually attend) before committing, using deferral to keep strong candidates in play for the Regular Decision pool. Increased application volume, test-optional policies, and strategic admissions planning contribute to more deferrals, allowing schools flexibility to meet enrollment goals. 

What to do after a Brown deferral?

Next Steps After a Brown ED Deferral

Keep the tone sincere and focused. Submit Your Midyear Report: Strong senior-year grades matter. Brown will review your mid-year transcript carefully as part of your continued evaluation.

Is Brown the happiest ivy?

Campus happiness: Brown is widely known as the happiest Ivy, perhaps because of students' freedom to choose courses with almost complete autonomy.

Is Brown as good as yale?

Neither Brown nor Yale is objectively "better"; they are both elite Ivy League schools, but they offer different experiences, with Yale often ranked slightly higher overall and Brown known for its flexible "Open Curriculum," fostering a more independent and collaborative vibe, while Yale offers more structure and traditional prestige, though student satisfaction and specific program strength (like PLME at Brown, Law at Yale) vary. Your choice depends on whether you prefer Brown's self-directed exploration (Open Curriculum) or Yale's more traditional, resource-rich environment with a strong overall reputation.
 

Is Brown the easiest ivy to get into?

No, Brown isn't the easiest Ivy, but it's generally considered among the slightly more accessible Ivies compared to top-tier schools like Harvard or Princeton, often ranking with Dartmouth or Penn in selectivity, with recent acceptance rates around 5-6%, though all Ivies are extremely difficult to get into, with Cornell often seen as the "easiest" (still very tough). 

Which ivy has the lowest graduation rate?

Of the top 10 schools in U.S. News' National University Rankings, MIT is the Ivy League with the lowest graduation rate, landing at No. 51. (Brown University's 83% gives it the lowest position of any Ivy League, placing it at No. 60.)

Can I get into Brown with a 1390 SAT?

Getting into Brown with a 1390 SAT is challenging because it's below their typical admitted student range (around 1510-1560), but not impossible, especially with truly exceptional essays, extracurriculars, grades (near 4.0), and unique talents, as Brown considers the whole application, but your score makes you less competitive academically compared to most applicants. Your score falls near or below the 25th percentile, meaning you'd need extraordinary strengths elsewhere to compensate for the lower test score, making strong recommendations and a standout personal narrative crucial.
 

Is it likely to be accepted after being deferred?

Yes, you absolutely can still get in if you're deferred; it's not a rejection, but a "wait and see" by the college, meaning your application is strong enough to keep in consideration for the larger Regular Decision pool, and your chances improve by showing continued interest, providing strong first-semester grades, and having a solid backup plan. Many deferred students get accepted, though the rate varies significantly by school. 

Is it better to get rejected or deferred?

Essentially, if you're deferred, your application will be reviewed again with the regular decision applications. This doesn't mean you've been rejected; you still have a chance of being accepted. Being deferred doesn't necessarily lower your chances of acceptance come the regular decision round.

Is deferred a soft rejection?

What does deferred really mean? Does it mean that it's a soft rejection? No, it's not. It means that the university wants to review your application again in the regular round.

How do I improve my chances after being deferred?

Our counselors have some tips on what you can do if you're deferred.

1. Revisit Your School List. ...
2. Find Out What the College Needs From You. ...
3. Compose a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) or Deferral Letter. ...
4. Seek Additional Recommendation Letters. ...
5. Consider Updating Your Application. ...
6. Visit. ...
7. Send Additional Grades and Test Scores.

Is a waitlist a soft rejection?

If you've been waitlisted, don't panic. We know it's not the decision you were hoping for, but it's also not a rejection. And yes, you still have a real chance of getting accepted.

How many students get deferred each year?

At many Top 50 colleges, 30–60% of Early Action or Early Decision applicants are deferred. At the most selective schools, the percentage can be even higher. From an admissions standpoint, a deferral often means: "You're academically qualified, but we need more context before making a final decision."

What's harder to get into, Brown or Cornell?

If you're looking at acceptance rate alone, then Brown University is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.

Where do top 1% send kids to college?

The "top 1%" of students, often defined by family income, tend to go to highly selective, elite universities like Dartmouth, Yale, Penn, Brown, Princeton, and Stanford, MIT, and Harvard, with some Ivy League schools having a higher concentration of these students than the bottom 60% of income earners. Rankings vary, but MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley consistently appear at the top for overall academic standing, attracting top talent across all income levels. 

What are the 63 hidden Ivies?

The 63 Hidden Ivies are a list of highly selective, prestigious liberal arts colleges and universities outside the traditional Ivy League, identified by educational consultants Howard and Matthew Greene for offering an Ivy-level education with strong academics, resources, and reputation, including schools like Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Pomona, Duke, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins. They are grouped by region (Northeast, South, Midwest, West) and chosen for their exceptional resources, faculty, and vibrant campus life, making them excellent alternatives to the Ivies.