A Q&A for Deferred Students by Chris LaBounty
Hi Everyone,
I was just taking a look at some of the questions on the open blog threads, and since there were so many questions regarding deferred applicants, I thought I should post a quick Q&A about what to do going forward as a deferred applicant.
We will (as always) release admissions statistics once they're compiled. This year I can tell you that we had over 6500 EA applications and have admitted 650 applicants early. It continues to be a great pool of motivated and successful students.
Anyway, on to the questions:
"It's over! No one gets in RA after they've been deferred, right?"
Not true. We need to look at your application again and consider it in the context of the Regular Action period. Last year there were over 220 deferred applications from the EA pool that ended up getting admitted. It could be more or less this year; it depends on how the pool looks. Basically, if you've been deferred you are now officially a member of the RA pool — with no underlying benefits or disadvantages in already having your application read.
What should I do now? Should I send in extra materials?
The only thing we ask that you do is complete the Midyear Report, which will be available on MyMIT in January. On the Midyear Report, you will provide us with your updated grades (your semester grades are very important, so keep working hard!) as well as a text box for any other updates you'd like to provide (new awards, changes to your activities, etc.). We will accept updates in other formats, including mail and email, but the Admissions Committee will primarily look to the Midyear Report for your updates.
What is the Midyear Report?
The Midyear Report (MYR) is an online form that is required for all applicants, including Early Action deferred applicants and Regular Action applicants. The Midyear Report will be available on your MyMIT account in January and should be completed as soon as possible after completion of the fall semester, second quarter, or first trimester (or whatever equivalent your school system might have). It also includes a text box for you to update us on anything important that has occurred since you submitted your application. Using the Midyear Report is preferred, and a lot faster than mailed updates.
Should I send in a whole new version of my application, or all new essays?
No. You do not need to "improve" your application, or redo/edit/modify part or all of your application. You were deferred because your application was already strong enough to make you a contender in the Regular Action round. Let your application stand.
What about extra essays, recommendations, etc?
You may send along anything that you feel would be helpful to the committee. We do not expect or require any of these things. Simply sending in additional materials does not by itself increase your chances of admission. If you do decide that you absolutely need to send something in, other than your Midyear Report, make sure you get it in as soon as possible. Please include the Supplemental Document Cover Form (from your MyMIT account) with any such documents that you fax or mail to us.
What about new test scores?
If you are taking additional tests in December or January, you can include MIT as a score recipient and we will consider any new scores.
Can I call admissions to find out The Reason why I was deferred?
If you call in, we will not be able to tell you "the reason" why you were deferred, or "what needs to be improved," simply because things are much more complex than just one reason why you were deferred. In fact, there will likely be nothing at all missing or needing improvement in your application. Honestly, most applications we see are very strong – we just need to find the ones we think will fit best into this year's class.
Thanks and good luck –