university of michigan deferred essay

What to Do if You’re Deferred from Michigan in 2024

1) Remind Yourself: There is More Than One Pathway to Success

We know this is not the news you were hoping for—but it’s still an accomplishment to be deferred. (Think how many other applicants were denied admission to UMich all together!) Moreover, there is no one school, internship, or job that is going to lead you to success. That’s the great thing about life: we’re in the driver’s seat, and there are more roads available to us with every turn.

2) Read over Michigan’s Instructions for Submitting a Letter of Continued Interest

The University of Michigan offers deferred applicants the opportunity to make a case for their candidacy in the form of an Expression of Continued Interest letter. The instructions read as follows:

Applicants who are not initially admitted in Early Action will have the opportunity to submit an Expression of Continued Interest (ECI) form to include additional information that was not part of their original application. The ECI allows for an equitable experience for all applicants who desire to send additional information after their application is completed. In order to fill out and submit the ECI form, please log into Enrollment Connect , navigate to the action items section, select Verify Continued Interest, and click the Expression of Continued Interest form link. You will be given a text box to write up to 250 words to express continued interest, to let us know about new achievements/awards, and/or to share additional information about yourself with us. If you would like to submit additional information, our preference is to receive only the ECI form, grade updates, or any specifically requested information. You may submit recent high school grade updates by contacting your high school and having them send a Mid-Year Report showing any recent grades that are available before mid-February. Anything outside of this (extra recommendations, research papers, artistic portfolios for non-majors, etc.) will not impact your final decision. The Expression of Continued Interest form is voluntary and is  NOT  required for us to consider your application in our decision process. Furthermore, no preference is given for the order or date in which the form is received. If you choose to submit this form, it must be submitted by March 8 for all first-year applicants. Additionally, please note that we will only allow for a single submission of the Expression of Continued Interest form, and you will not have access to edit the form after it has been submitted. Limit: 250 words

3) Sign up for the College Essay Advisors Expression of Continued Interest Package

It’s time to write a short essay that will have admissions officers kicking themselves, wondering why they didn’t admit you the first time around! Your personal Advisor will help you to brainstorm, draft, and revise a letter that succinctly updates admissions on your recent accomplishments and reconfirms your interest in the institution (in short: if you accept me, I will attend—and here’s why! ). Your Advisor will help you make the most of the 250 allotted words. 

So, what are you waiting for?! Get in touch to sign up for CEA’s Expression of Continued Interest Package, so your Advisor can walk you through the writing process one-on-one and ensure you have the best possible chance at Regular Decision admission!

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Tags: deferral , expression of continued interest , Michigan , michigan deferral , university of michigan

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January 22, 2024

What To Do After Being Deferred by the University of Michigan

If you’ve been deferred after the Early Action round at the University of Michigan and are still hoping to earn a seat in the Class of 2028, know that it’s not impossible — not by a long shot. You’ve still got a fighting chance. There’s still a chance that you can be a conquering hero and hail, hail to Michigan! So, what are your chances after your Michigan deferral, and what should you do going forward?

University of Michigan Early Action Admission Statistics

Michigan has historically withheld its Early Action and Regular Decision admissions statistics, instead only releasing the admissions figures for the overall pool each year.

So, if you see admissions statistics for Michigan’s Early Action round online, they are not credible. After all, they’re in no university press release, no article in  The Michigan Daily , and no Common Data Set (the data made publicly available that all schools complete — some just in a more in-depth way than others).

That said, while Michigan’s admissions committee writes on its website that “ the chief advantage of Early Action ” is it “provides you with a guaranteed decision date. For many students, this enables better planning,” know that they’re not being completely forthright. Why’s that? Because another “chief advantage” is that Early applicants tend to have better odds of admission than Regular Decision applicants across the spectrum of elite universities. Michigan is no exception in this regard.

5 Steps to Take After Being Deferred by Michigan

• Fill out Ivy Coach ‘s complimentary consultation form to learn about our go-forward service for deferred Michigan applicants.
• Complete a PostMortem application review . We know that Michigan decisions come out in late January, after Regular Decision deadlines, so it’s no longer possible to make adjustments to RD applications. Yet, we still need to go through your application in its entirety. After all, when you reach out to Michigan though the next step, what you write can’t be out of left field. It needs to be consistent with the narrative you’ve previously shared — just much more powerfully told.
• Submit a compelling Letter of Continued Interest to Michigan’s admissions committee. Contrary to popular belief, the letter should include no brags and no updates. It should be a love letter to the Ann Arbor-based institution, filled with specific after specific of how you’ll contribute your hopefully wonderfully weird singular hook to the campus.
• After you’ve submitted your Letter of Continued Interest, bring it to your school counselor and ask your school counselor to make an advocacy call on your behalf . With the letter in hand, they’ll be able to present you to Michigan as you presented yourself in your letter rather than just say generic information that doesn’t move the needle.
• After asking your school counselor to make an advocacy call on your behalf, there’s nothing more you can do . So re-focus your energy on things you  can  control. And don’t make the mistake of contacting Michigan multiple times. You’ll only come across as you likely fear you’ll come across — as a gadfly.

University of Michigan Deferral FAQ

Is a michigan deferral meaningful.

Yes, while Michigan doesn’t release the percentage of students deferred vs. denied from the Early Action round, we’ve had great success through the years with helping deferred Michigan applicants earn seats. Heck, we even once had a student who received their acceptance in person from multiple Michigan admissions officers! They were rooting for this  student that much ! And that’s what we at Ivy Coach do — we inspire admissions officers to want to root for our students!

Can Michigan subsequently waitlist a deferred candidate?

Yes, in the past, we’ve had students who have earned slots on Michigan’s waitlist after being deferred. Frankly, we think that’s  wrong . After all, Michigan’s admissions committee has had enough time to weigh the case for admission of an Early Action candidate that there’s no need to kick the can down the road on two separate occasions. These students submitted applications by November 1st. Render a decision, Michigan — just saying!

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Michigan Deferral

If you’d like to optimize your case for admission to the University of Michigan’s Class of 2028, fill out Ivy Coach ‘s free consult form ; after you click that you’re a senior, indicate that you’ve been deferred , and we’ll be in touch to outline our go-forward services for deferred candidates.

You are permitted to use www.ivycoach.com (including the content of the Blog) for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not copy, download, print, or otherwise distribute the content on our site without the prior written consent of Ivy Coach, Inc.

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The Michigan Daily

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‘U’ adds continued interest essay for freshman applicants

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The University Insider is The Daily’s first faculty and staff-oriented newsletter. This weekly newsletter will give U-M faculty and staff the ability to see the most important issues on campus and in Ann Arbor — particularly those related to administrative decisions — from the perspective of an independent news organization. It will also provide a better understanding of student perspectives.

First-year applicants to the University of Michigan now have the option to submit an additional essay separate from the three required as part of the application.

The Daily obtained a screenshot of the webpage informing applicants of the essay from a high school senior who was deferred and requested anonymity due to concern for her application status.

The page notes the essay form is the only expression of continued interest the University will consider. Any other communications from students outside of the form — with the exception of recent grades — will not be added to their application.

The form asks students, in 250 words or less, to “describe how your personal educational goals connect to the University of Michigan’s mission and values.”

In an email to The Daily, Erica Sanders, Office of Undergraduate Admissions director, wrote that this form replaces all other forms of continued interest. Some students have previously submitted a “letter of continued interest,” a mechanism often recommended by school counselors or in online discussion boards such as College Confidential to show ongoing interest after being deferred in early admission rounds.

For postponed early action applicants, the preferred deadline for this form is Feb. 1 and for regular decision applicants, the deadline is March 1. Sanders said applicants can complete at their discretion. It is available to students who applied early action and received a postponed decision or who applied regular decision, Sanders said. 

“For some, the Early Action application deadline approaches much sooner than anticipated and an opportunity to submit additional information now that the rush of the fall season has quieted would be welcomed,” Sanders wrote. “This short answer response offers the opportunity to provide an update to the initial application submission.”

According to the webpage, the decision to not consider other information from applicants is due to the high volume of applications. Nationally, the University ranked 10th for the number of freshman applicants, with 64,917 applications for this year’s freshman class. Approximately 23 percent of applicants were admitted.

A second deferred student, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the practice of sending a letter of continued interest, which was largely an unspoken method for showing commitment, was a way to distinguish themselves from the rest of the applicant pool. Because it is now a form available to all applicants, the student feels they may have lost an edge they previously would have had with sending the letter.

“I know some people are annoyed because this is another essay and it’s extra work when they’ve already put so much into the application, but to me, for someone who sees this as their top school, it’s more of another opportunity for me to show them I’m committed,” the applicant said. “It’s an opportunity that I’m grateful for, but I do think it’s interesting that it’s not this under-the-radar thing that it was in the past.”

The student said the change from a letter to an essay removed some of the individuality. She also noted the possibility for overlap with the 500-word application essay , which asks students to “describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan” and how the curriculum supports the applicant’s interests.

The student was also frustrated with the language of the form, which says additional communication will not be considered. However, after talking with teachers, the student said she is still considering sending in additional information, such as an extra letter of recommendation.

Sanders wrote that the change levels the playing field for applicants because it provides guidance for what the University would like to see. Previously, there would be a large variation in what the admissions staff received from applicants, so this change provides more information about what they will and will not consider.

“Historically, our Early Action applicants who are not admitted in Early Action, as well as some Regular Decision applicants, have attempted to provide further information about themselves after their application is submitted, and we did not provide standard guidance regarding how to do so,” Sanders wrote. “The quantity and quality of the information submitted varied greatly and follow-up with students was inefficient and cumbersome. This additional short answer response allows for an equitable experience for all applicants who desire to send additional information after their application is completed, and provides guidance for the submission of that information.”

Christopher Kasper, a school counselor at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, is grateful for this clarity. He said students in previous years were unsure of what to do after receiving a postponed decision from the University. He said this form gives applicants more information on the next steps they can take.

“What it does is it helps guide and direct students to know what their next step is and to know that they have this opportunity,” Kasper said. “I think students appreciate the opportunity and the clarity and are more than willing and enthusiastic about the additional short essay.”

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What information should I include in the Expression of Continued Interest for University of Michigan? Answered

I was recently deferred from the University of Michigan. There is an optional expression of continued interest form that can be filled out, and the limit is 250 words. What information should I prioritize? Are grades and new awards more important, or should I focus more on why I want to attend Michigan. Also, do deferred applicants receive decisions on a rolling basis or is it the same day that regular decisions come out?

Earn karma by helping others:

Hi @Chiara_Sloboda !

Do you think the grades and new awards are a significant addition to your application? If yes, include them. If not, they're not worth the space. Regardless of the situation, prioritize your interest in UMich.

Deferred applicants will receive decisions the same day the regular decisions come out.

Hope this helps!

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‘I Was Deferred by U-M. What Does That Mean for My Ross Application?’

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions (OUA) at the University of Michigan traditionally releases Early Action admission decisions by Dec. 24 each year. When these decisions are released, some applicants will have their final admission decision postponed to a later day — what is referred to as being “deferred.”  

Understandably, this may spark some anxiety, but there is no need to panic. To help ease concerns, I wanted to address some common questions related to being postponed and how that affects your Michigan Ross BBA application.

What is the two-tiered review process?

We review applications for the Ross BBA program on a rolling basis; however, applicants must first be admitted to U-M by OUA. Once you are admitted, your application is on its way to Ross for a final decision. If your application is postponed by U-M, then the application is postponed getting to us, and we cannot give you a final decision yet. 

What happens if my app is postponed? 

OUA has an excellent FAQ page on what it means to be postponed . The page addresses what to expect when you’re postponed, how to verify your continued interest and submit a mid-year grade report (you should do this), and the decision timeline after being postponed. Once you have verified your continued interest and submitted your mid-year grades, you must wait to hear back on your final admissions decision. If you did both the previous steps, you’ve done all that you can do to better your chances of getting in, so try not to worry! For tips on what to do while you’re waiting, you can check out my previous blog post on this topic. 

Can I be admitted to Ross after being postponed? 

Yes, absolutely! We, at Michigan Ross, send out admission decisions on four select dates from winter to early spring. (Spoiler alert: I will announce those release dates in my first blog post of the new year in January.) And yes, we do and will admit students to the BBA program that were initially postponed by OUA for Early Action and then admitted for Regular Decision. 

What are the next steps if I’m ultimately not offered admission to Michigan?

We recognize that not all applicants who were initially postponed by OUA will get a decision of admission. Thus, keep in mind that if you’re not admitted by OUA and your dream is to still come to Ross, you can always apply as a transfer student from another institution next year. And it just so happens that I also wrote a blog post on our transfer process just a few weeks go.

Overall, the admissions process at U-M is quite thorough on purpose. As I have stated before, we put a lot of thought and care into developing each class of Ross BBA students. Remember, being postponed allows the university extra time to review your credentials to determine your strengths and academic achievement in the context of the entire applicant pool. 

"Be unique. Be yourself."

UMich Deferral Class of 2025

I recently got deferred from UMich to the RD pool. I applied for LSA and was undeclared. Is there any chance I make it in or is it pretty hard to make it in after getting deferred? I’m OOS, 33 ACT, 4.2 GPA.

This is the note I got: We have decided to postpone making a decision on your application at this time and your application will be moved into our regular decision pool for consideration. Your high school counselor should submit any new fall-term grades that are available on your behalf through the Common Application/Coalition Application. All final admissions decisions of admit, deny, or waitlist will be made no later than early April.

hey! i’m in the same boat so i want to see if i have a chance too! i’m oos, 32 ACT, 4.3 GPA. have you submitted the letter of continued interest?

I am in the same boat too!!! 32 ACT (33ss) and a 4.23 gpa. Really keeping my fingers crossed!

Okay that gives me a little bit of hope haha. Yeah I did.

is there anything else we need to do? i don’t want to annoy my AO

I don’t think so. The only thing I was going to do was ask my high school counselor to submit my senior grades and she already did that. I think I’m just going to wait unless someone tells me otherwise.

how do you see if your counselor submitted your mid-year transcript? is it on enrollment connect?

I don’t see my sons on enrollment connect, but had to order it through parchment and received a confirmation email from parchment direct that the transcript was received by UofM Ann Arbor

Just as an FYI - My son was deferred and was asked to submit the ECI essay. As I posted in the other UM group (the EA one), when he went to put in his 250 word essay/ECI “letter” the prompt was no longer there. They had deleted it and now it was just a free writing thing. He decided to keep his as is because it was the 250 words after cutting it down already. He wasn’t about to start all over with no prompt.

Do this or call/email /chat if there are questions to clear up.

Yes, you still have a great chance. Not everyone is going to accept due to other offers and finances. But as the waves or rounds go on then your chances lesson.

MY d18 was deferred OOS COE.

Few questions - Should we get additional letters of recommendation? Where do we have the transcript uploaded to? The common app or somewhere else? 10 kids from our school were accepted, 3 were deferred, of the 10 only 2 are going, will this hurt or help my D? Her GPA was higher than 5 of the 10, but ACT was lower than all. On the other thread a few people mentioned not every kid has to do the essay, what does that mean? Just trying to manage expectations.

Thank everyone!

On the applicant portal it tells you what to do on the left. When you click through in my sons it said eci and he had a box to type the 250 word letter. The transcript in his case was optional and he had his school send it. They don’t want any extra LORs. It’s very specific what they want.

Do what they ask you to do… But… If the others from your school aren’t going… And you know you will sign the dotted line… See if your school counselor or Principal.would call the Michigan AO and tell them you will commit now. I know this is not typical but some schools have a crazy great relationship with the Michigan Aos especially instate schools. They worst your school can tell you is no. We can’t do that.

@srparent15 @Knowsstuff my D sent her letter. Fall transcripts were finalized today and submitted by her guidance counselor. Her ranking actually went up two spots. She had a google meet with our principal today. I guess our principal has a procedure for the top 25 kids in the class who are deferred from certain schools.

I still told her not to get her hopes up and start to seriously look at the other schools. If it’s meant to be it will be, if not she will survive!

Great attitude!

Good Luck… Have her look at her top 3 schools that you can afford. Start looking at the programs, Facebook or like groups etc… Nice policy your principal has. That is why I said to ask… But… What do they do exactly??

@Knowsstuff I assume you mean what does our principal do. Meets with the student, discusses goals, weaknesses, strengths, asks why the school is so important, compares it to our state flagship school (which is on par with Michigan) for academic and cost purposes (if the parent wants), then will communicate with the regional admissions officer.

That’s excellent. I have heard of Principals reaching out for certain students before and why not? It helps the schools reputation especially if it’s a feeder school and gets the yield the college wants. Win /Win. Please update.

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Your Student’s Been Deferred. Now What?

Just after Christmas, we got a call from a student inquiring about an additional essay required by the University of Michigan for deferred students. He wanted help writing it.

The student was “postponed” by the Ross School of Business. He wondered if he should call the admissions office, submit additional information beyond the additional essay, or email the admissions rep for his school.

Last year, we would have told him to contact his school’s admissions rep to find out what to do. But UM changed the rules this year. And they added an essay requirement. They also gave instructions; the directions – in an email to every deferred applicant – were crystal clear.

“This form serves as your singular expression of continued interest in the University of Michigan. This form must be submitted prior to Feb. 1 st . Please note: Given the high volume of applicants to the University of Michigan, this form is the only expression of continued interest that will be considered. Therefore, additional information/communications sent outside of this form will not be added to your application.”

Our advice: Please remind your students to read the instructions provided by the college before doing anything!

In all of our years working with students applying to college, we have found that most of the information students need to communicate with them comes directly from the colleges.

Tulane gives good instructions about what to do if …Jeff Schiffman, Director for Admission at Tulane, gives specific advice in a blog he penned last year for deferred students.

Highlights from Schiffman’s message:

• Read the blog; it offers insight and instructions.
• Fill out the continued interest form.
• Do email your rep and state you are still interested in Tulane.
• Do not call the admissions office and ask why you were deferred.

Some schools, like Cornell, just want a simple check in stating the student is still interested.

“I encourage deferred students to craft an email that lets the committee know of continued interest – I call it checking in,” said Shawn Felton, Cornell’s director of undergraduate admissions, told me. “It should not begin as a dirge. Avoid: ‘I am deeply disappointed that I was not offered admission during Early Decision…’”

Felton suggests students stay positive in their deferral letters, and share why they want to be a part of the Cornell community.

In the case of the University of Michigan, the instructions – that were emailed to every deferred student last month– were easy to follow. They wanted students who were still interested in the school to craft an additional essay.

The prompt:

In 250 words or less, describe how your personal educational goals connect to the University of Michigan’s mission and values.

We are helping our student answer the prompt as I write this blog; this is a new requirement for U-M this year. We helped him parse it, and now, he is wrapping it up with one of our coaches.

You can help your students answer this or other deferral prompts by making sure they understand what the prompt is asking, brainstorming ideas and reviewing the final essay to make sure the answer is effective.

What does UM want to know in this additional essay?

• Is the deferred student still interested in the school?
• What are the student’s personal educational goals?
• How do the student’s goals mesh with UM’s values and mission?

We’re pretty sure those students who are not interested will take a pass on an extra essay. By answering the question, UM will know a student is still interested.

What’s Next?

As you already know, deferred students are not alone. But while fellow seniors walk up and down the halls of your high school boasting about getting into their top choice colleges, it can be devastating for the student who heard no …. or equally disappointing …. maybe later. Postponed. Pended. Deferred.

The deferred student needs to hear from you and other adults in their lives that they are qualified, that they still have a shot at that school. Of course they need to apply to schools that they can get into, those safety schools.

It’s not news to you that being qualified no longer guarantees admissions to the more select schools. So when that happens, the students need a dose of encouragement from you, Mom and Dad, their teachers, coaches. If you can talk to them and help them understand that the application will be re-evaluated for the regular decision pool, they will know there’s still hope.

Find out how to inspire your students during our free webinar

We’re launching a new professional development program for counselors and consultants in January called  The College Essay Experience,  and we’d love to include you.  All you have to do right now is  sign up for the informational webinar . We’ll give you a taste of our process, and we’ll even do some writing. And there’s a giveaway – a free gift for everyone who signs up.  You can join us live or listen to the recording .  Learn more on  January 15, 1-2 pm Eastern .  Sign up here , and then forget about it. In the meantime, enjoy your family and friends.

About the Author

Kim Lifton is President of  Wow Writing Workshop , a strategic communication company staffed by experts who understand the writing process inside and out. Since 2009, Wow has been leading the industry with our unique approach to communicating any message effectively. The Wow Method helps business and nonprofit leaders create better blogs, manage social media, develop websites and create other communication materials. It also helps students write college application essays, grad school personal statements and resumes that get results. If it involves words, Wow can help.

• Date January 5, 2020
• Author Kim Lifton
• Category Uncategorized
• Tag College Essay
• Comments No Comments

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What’s Covered:

What does it mean to be deferred, why do colleges defer students, what are your chances of acceptance after deferral, what to do if you’re deferred.

When you apply to a college through an Early Decision or Early Action process, it’s clear that you’re particularly motivated to get admitted to that school. This can make waiting for your admission decision all the more agonizing.

If you’re accepted, your options are relatively simple. Rejection is upsetting, but in a way, it’s even simpler — one option has just been eliminated. There is, however, a third possibility for your early admission decision: deferral, in which the college decides to delay making a final decision on your application until the Regular Decision notification date.

Being deferred can be confusing. It can make you sad. It can make you question your ability to get in. Deferral is a common experience, but that doesn’t make it feel any better. Keep in mind- it is NOT a rejection! CollegeVine is here to help you through it- we’ll talk about what the deferral process looks like, what deferral means for your application, and what you can do to maximize your chances of eventually being accepted to your top college!

When you apply Early Decision or Action to a school, the admissions department does not have all applications for that cycle in. So, they may need more time or information to decide if you stand out in the applicant pool. You have enough great qualities that you stand a chance at acceptance, but your application may not have been strong enough to warrant an early decision. That’s okay! Deferral is a common result of an early application, since competitive colleges often have more qualified applicants than they can accept. Deferral is a tool used by schools to build the best possible freshman class by keeping strong candidates in the applicant pool rather than rejecting them entirely early in the process. It gives you time to strengthen your application , and gets your name in front of the university early. From there, you can try to improve your grades , possibly re-take the ACT or SAT, or add an extracurricular . 

As a deferred applicant, you will usually be reevaluated with the Regular Decision applicants automatically. Some schools may ask that you submit more information or a letter stating your continued interest in the school. Make sure you read the deferral letter very carefully so you can follow all instructions! You should receive a decision with the regular timeline and decision date, usually around the beginning of April. If your Early Decision application was binding, being deferred releases you from that commitment. If you are deferred and then accepted Regular Decision, you will not be contractually obligated to attend that school, and can freely choose among all schools you’ve been accepted to. 

Deferral usually happens when the admissions committee can’t come to a decision either way for an early applicant. There are a number of reasons why this can happen:

• You may be a borderline applicant . Perhaps your application is pretty good overall, but doesn’t particularly stand out in the early applicant pool. 
• The admissions committee may want to see how you compare to the students in the Regular Decision applicant pool, rather than the smaller Early Decision pool alone.
• The admissions committee may decide they need to see more information about you in order to make a final decision. For example, suppose your grades weren’t the best early in high school, but your academic performance has improved over time. The committee may want to see your first-semester senior year grades to confirm your upward academic trend . 

Some number of deferred students get accepted every year, but it’s difficult to say what one particular individual’s chance of acceptance may be. Your chances depend on more than just your application, like the strength of the entire applicant pool that year. Many schools, particularly very competitive schools, defer a large portion of their early applications. For some examples, in the 2020-2021 early round:

• Brown University admitted 16% of early applicants
• Dartmouth University admitted 21% of early applicants
• Duke University admitted 16.7% of early applicants
• Harvard University admitted 7.4% of early applicants

If we look at Georgetown, only 10% of early decision applicants were accepted, with over 89% being deferred. Of that 89%, 15% were then admitted in the regular round. To put it in perspective, Georgetown’s 2020 overall acceptance rate was only 14%. For more information on your chances of acceptance at your ideal university, check out our free Chancing Engine.  

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

Take a deep breath. Deferral does NOT equal rejection

Make sure you READ the rest of the letter. Many schools give especially important information about what steps you should take next, and about things you shouldn’t do. Some will ask that you send updated grades, some will ask that you confirm your intention to be considered in the regular decision round , some will ask that you specifically do not send more information. You must read the letter closely to be sure you show you are motivated and can follow directions.

Re-evaluate Your Application

Most colleges allow deferred applicants to submit an update to their application, though schools can vary as to what updates they will accept. Aside from what your school specifically asks for, a good general rule is to only submit information that is new and substantial. Focus on things that have happened since you submitted your application. Remember, the admissions office already has your original application to consider, so don’t submit information they already know. 

Check over your essay again, or use our FREE essay peer review tool! Make sure your essay is personal, follows all requested aspects from the prompt, and makes you stand out from the larger pool. Some students may also decide to retake standardized tests in hopes of getting higher scores. If this is your plan, put in the effort to study and prepare better for these tests than you did the first time around. A prep course, a test-specific tutor, or taking practice tests can help to make an additional round of testing worth the effort. Remember to have your test scores sent directly to the college. 

Look over your list of schools again

Competitive schools attract more qualified applicants than they can admit, so there is always some element of chance when it comes to your acceptance. While you may have your heart set on a school, if you are deferred, don’t take it personally. You never know what factors are at play, and it’s possible that the school is not the best fit for you. Take a look at what drew you to the school. 

• Geographic location?
• A specific academic program?
• The atmosphere?

Pinpoint some of the most desirable qualities, and look for them at other schools that may be a better fit for you. Also, redirect your focus to schools you were accepted to, or have a high chance of acceptance to. Join social media groups, reach out to current students or recent grads, network to learn more about each school and get a better feel for it. Visit the campus! The more informed you are about all your options, the better prepared you’ll be to make an informed choice once all your final decisions are in.

More Resources

For more information about the deferral process, take a look at these posts on the CollegeVine blog :

• Early Action vs. Early Decision: 4 Key Differences
• Early Decision and Early Action Acceptance Rates at Top Schools
• 4 Reasons to NOT Apply Early Decision
• Deferred or Waitlisted: Tips for Writing A Letter of Continued Interest

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

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Common questions.

Get the inside scoop about life at U-M and applying to Michigan from current student bloggers, Admissions staff, and guest faculty writers.

Tips for Dealing With Early Action Postponement

Stay Active, Stay In Touch, Stay Positive.

As a sophomore at the University of Michigan, I may be two years removed from the college admissions process, but that stomach-drop feeling from seeing a postponement at the top of my application portals is burned into memory. Receiving postponement from any college or university is frustrating and disappointing, and it can feel like the end of the road for your chances of attending the school. However, having undergone the entirety of the college admissions process – acceptances, rejections, waitlists, postponements, and all else – I want to assure you that postponement is SO far from rejection. If your Early Action application to the University of Michigan has been postponed, you’ve come to the right place. Speaking from both personal experience and general best practice, I’ve put together some of the most important next steps that you can take to improve your chances of turning that postponement on your portal into a “Welcome to the University of Michigan!”

Step 1: Stay Active.

I can’t stress enough that a postponement puts your college application in a very different position than a rejection or a waitlist. A postponement only means that the university is postponing making a decision on your application at this time, and your application will be moved into the regular decision pool for consideration, providing additional time to review your credentials and determine how your strengths and academic achievements would fit with this year’s first-year applicant pool. With that being said, these next few months are going to be crucial for you to remain hard-working as a student and involved in your extracurriculars. These additional months give you the opportunity to further bolster your profile with strong grades and AP scores, meaningful involvement and leadership positions in your extracurriculars, and opportunities to learn more about the university and express specified interest. Do not passively wait for that later decision – maintain your academics and stay involved in the activities that you enjoy!

Step 2: Stay in Touch.

Building up your academics and profile as an applicant in these coming months is useless if no one hears about it! As a postponed applicant, the next most important step you can take is to stay in strong contact with the university. Additionally, you could request to speak with a department advisor to learn more about the major or program you are interested in. The conversation will likely be insightful, reassuring, and very helpful. You can also fill out the Expression of Continued Interest form for the University of Michigan. This form is an excellent opportunity to provide an update on your grades, any notable changes or awards in extracurriculars, your conversations with any U-M department advisors, and most importantly, your clearly expressed interest in the University of Michigan.

Step 3: Stay Positive.

While you await further information from U-M, get to know all of your other options! The college admissions process is, to an extent, somewhat unpredictable. Postponements and rejections can feel so personal – I know I took each one to heart. But a wonderful college education and experience is possible at any university, so after demonstrating your interest and following up with U-M Admissions, it is helpful to get to know your other options as well. In all honesty, my biggest advice would be to stay excited about the entirety of the college process. These months can be hard as you grapple with unexpected acceptances and rejections, and wait uncomfortably through postponements and waitlists. But the college experience that awaits you – whether you choose U-M or another university – is incredible and so exciting. I encourage you to hold that thought in the back of your mind as you go through the admissions process. Stay open-minded and picture yourself in a number of different schools and environments. I did not think I would end up at Michigan – I expected to go to another university entirely. Now that I’m here, I can’t picture myself anywhere else. I want to remind you that in a year from now, you will look back at this time and laugh at how concerned you may have felt – it truly does all work out. Everyone ends up exactly where they are meant to go!

Annabelle Marenghi is a sophomore in the College of Literature, Arts, and Sciences, pursuing a major in English and a minor in entrepreneurship. She is from San Diego, California. At school, Annabelle is involved in her sorority and several of the outdoors clubs at the University of Michigan. She loves to travel, and is planning to study abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year. In her free time, you can find Annabelle surfing, cooking, or hiking with her dog.

The Honors Experience

University of Michigan

Application Dates & Deadlines

While we do have deadlines specified below, please send us your essay as soon as possible.

Your response will go to either (1) the email account linked to your U-M application, if you have not yet decided, or (2) your umich.edu account, if you have accepted U-M’s invitation.

February 14, 2024  – All applications received by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on March 7, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

March 6, 2024  – All applications received after February 14, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 4, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  

April 9, 2024 – All applications received after March 6, 2024 but by 11:59pm (Eastern Time Zone) on this date will have a decision sent out via email by 11pm on April 25, 2024. In your notification, you will fall into one of 2 decision categories: admit or deny. We cannot accept applications for admission into Honors for fall 2024 after April 9th.

In your notification, you will fall into one of 3 decision categories: admit, defer, or deny.  If your decision is a defer, you will be notified by 11pm on April 25, 2024 at the latest , to inform you of our final decision.

May 1, 2024—If we admit you into Honors on or prior to April 25, 2024 you must confirm by May 1, 2024 that you plan to join the Program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LSA Honors Program?

The Honors Program is a Michigan learning community that provides its students with academic and extracurricular opportunities to help them grow intellectually, personally, and professionally.

Is Honors a 4-year program?

Students applying for Honors as a high school senior are applying for the lower-division program. Lower-division Honors encompasses a student’s first two years of study at U-M and is meant to provide a more engaged experience with the liberal arts. Upon finishing their sophomore year, Honors students have the opportunity to interact further with the program through the upper-division by declaring an Honors major. Honors majors, which usually span the student’s last two years of study, typically culminate in a senior thesis. Honors major requirements vary by field of study, so students can go directly to the website of their desired/declared major to learn more about the declaration process and requirements.

Is Honors the Honors College?

We are intentional in calling ourselves a  program  and not a  college , as the LSA Honors Program is a program within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Our students are held to the same policies and standards as all other LSA students. While we do not have many additional requirements for our students, we provide a plethora of additional opportunities that we encourage our students to take advantage of.

What are the program requirements?

In order to remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must adhere to the following requirements (both to be completed by the end of the second semester of their second year):

• Complete an Honors Core Course that fulfills the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR)
• Achieve a cumulative 3.400 GPA

What are the advantages of Honors?

The Honors Program has three pillars: academics, community and engagement. In addition to having access to the academic offerings of LSA, Honors students also have the unique ability to enroll in Honors Core Courses and Honors-specific sections and to pursue Honors conversions. Students are able to build community by living in Honors housing with other Honors students and participating in various extracurricular activities. Honors also contains its own advising unit; all Honors students are assigned to one of our advisors who is knowledgeable on Honors, LSA, and University requirements.

When should I apply to Honors? You must be admitted to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) prior to applying to the Honors Program. You do not, however, need to decide if you are attending U-M before applying. We encourage you to apply as soon as you are admitted to LSA, as we are a space-limited program. Application dates are posted on your left.

How do I apply? You will apply by completing the essay questions on the  Apply Here  page and submitting them through the linked online application portal. The application consists of one essay. Be creative—we want to see how your mind works!

Do I need to be invited? The Honors Program is available to all LSA students. Anyone who is admitted to LSA is encouraged to apply!

I am applying to the Ross School of Business/School of Music, Theater, and Dance/Stamps School of Art & Design. Should I apply to Honors? If you have expressed interest in another school or college in your U-M application, you should consider applying to Honors if you also plan to pursue a degree in LSA as well as Ross/SMTD/Stamps.

How many students apply and are accepted each year? Our application reviewers read approximately 1700 applications to fill an incoming class of approximately 350 students.

Should I apply if I’m not sure I’m attending U-M? We strongly urge you to apply to Honors even before you know that you are going to come to U-M. That way it is likely that you will be able to base your decision, in part, on whether or not you are in Honors.

Is it possible to complete a joint degree with LSA and another U-M school? Yes! Several special degree programs are offered by the joint cooperation of LSA and other colleges or schools within the University. You will want to work with your Honors Academic Advisor to discuss your options.

When will I hear if I am accepted into Honors?

Refer to the application date guidelines on the left for a reply timeline. Your Honors decision will go to either (1) the email that is linked to your friend account and U-M application or (2) your umich.edu email address, if your deposit has been paid. If you do not receive a reply–either to your inbox or spam folder–and have a record of submitting your essay, use the “Contact Us” quick link below.

Can I or my parents call prior to the notification date for an admission decision?

Due to our compliance with FERPA regulations, Honors cannot notify parents or discuss a student’s application decision without the explicit consent of that student. Furthermore, we do not release admissions decisions early. Students can expect to hear back from us via email on the date corresponding with when they applied.

Can I visit campus and meet with an Honors student or Honors advisor?

Yes! Honors participates in every Campus Day date and you can talk with one of our advisors during the Q&A. If you are visiting campus and/or are unable to attend a Campus Day, we offer meetings with current Honors students so you can learn more about the program. You can access the meeting request form on our Visit Us & More Information page, underneath the Honors Ambassadors section. We also host virtual sessions from February-April. Our advisors are unable to meet one-on-one with prospective students due to limited availability.

Quick Links: 

Honors Application Link Contact Us Undergrad Admissions Contact Undergrad Admissions

UM students walk out amid divestment calls, groups blasting proposed 'anti-protest' policy

Some students at the University of Michigan walked out of class on Thursday to protest the school's ties to Israel amid criticism from UM's proposed "Disruptive Activity Policy" sparked by a recent demonstration linked to the issue.

Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, touted as a Palestinian advocacy group, this week called for the walkout at the Ann Arbor school on its Instagram page, posting a flier asking that students show UM officials "that their suppression will not stop us from calling for divestment from companies profiting off the genocide of Palestinians!"

The UM Board of Regents at its meeting last week rejected those calls, arguing that a minuscule amount of university money is invested indirectly in Israeli companies.

SAFEumich posted photos on Instagram showing students near the UM Diag on Thursday, carrying handmade signs.

UM takes action after divestment activists shut down honors ceremony

It followed UM administrators recently asking students for input on the proposed policy to halt disruptions at school events in late March after student activists interrupted the annual honors convocation to demand UM divest from Israeli companies.

Administrators under the policy would issue written notices to students disrupting school activities who impede "the exercise of others' speech and activities," UM's public affairs office wrote in a statement requesting community feedback on the proposed policy.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan told UM officials in a Wednesday letter that they needed to abandon the proposal or substantially alter it, while local representatives from the National Lawyers Guild argued the university should withdraw the policy and drop charges against students who protested at a recent honors convocation.

Administrators would sanction students who accept responsibility or provide a formal hearing if notified students request one under the proposed disruption policy, the statement read.

Other university policies would discipline disruptive faculty and staff, while contractors, volunteers of visitors violating the policy could also be penalized, the statement read.

If enacted, the proposed policy's overbroad, ambiguous language could lead to uneven self-censorship and discriminatory enforcement against peaceful protestors, representatives for the ACLU wrote in their letter to UM administrators.

The proposed policy does not specify what kinds of disruptive activities are constitutionally protected, and also does not define the terms "disrupt" and "substantive distractions," the letter stated.

Existing UM policies already address student disruptions to university events, while the proposed policy will likely produce discriminatory enforcement with harsh outcomes against unfavorable speech, ACLU said.

"Taken together, the high risk of discriminatory enforcement and unduly harsh penalties point to one likely outcome: Those with disfavored opinions, and Black and brown protesters especially, will inequitably bear the brunt of the University's proposed policy," the group's letter stated.

ACLU Michigan representatives also urged UM administrators to substantially rewrite the policy or reconsider it entirely, citing existing policies.

In an email to The Detroit News, Colleen Mastony, a UM representative, said: "As a university committed to free speech and diversity of perspective, we welcome dissent and the expression of the broadest array of ideas–even those perspectives that could be unpopular, upsetting, or critical of the university. At the same time, no one is entitled to disrupt the lawful activities or speech of others. Because the university is a public institution, not only are we prohibited from interfering with lawful speech, we are required to intervene when we become aware that others are interfering with or disrupting lawful speech on our campus."

Mastony added: "Our current Standard Practice Guide 601.01 and the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities make clear that disrupting speakers and events is not protected speech under the law and is a violation of university policy. Last week we published a new draft policy on disruptive activity with the goal of ensuring the university’s position is clear, easy to access, and supportive of our mission. We published this draft and asked for feedback from our campus community, because it was important that we hear directly from students, faculty and staff."

The Detroit and Michigan chapter of the National Lawyer's Guild also strongly condemned the proposed policy in a letter, describing the policy as "Neo-McCarthyism."

"President Ono writes about protecting Jewish students who report feeling unsafe because of their discomfort with pro-Palestinian protest, but nothing about the feelings of Jewish or Palestinian students who are committed to advocacy for a ceasefire," the guild's letter stated.

The proposed policy comes after months of local student protests against the Israel-Hamas war and UM investment relationships with Israeli companies.

As written, the proposed policy would not deter disruptive protests or protect students against antisemitism, the guild's letter stated.

"Anyone with their feet on the ground can predict that this policy would not result in your events, celebrations, or meetings proceeding without interruption of the status quo," the group wrote. "This is because your students are grappling with the largest social, moral, ethical, and legal questions of this moment in history: Genocide. Famine. War crimes. Crimes against humanity. These realities shock the conscience — or they should. And yet, in the face of questions of this magnitude, you respond with a policy curtailing rights and enacting punishment and repression against those students engaged in principled protest."

Administrators must withdraw the proposed policy, rescind requests to press charges against student leaders who protested at the convocation, and meet student organizing demands, the guild's letter stated.

In a note to campus circulated on Tuesday, Ono said he and other officials are listening to the feedback to the university's policy proposal.

"We’ve received a robust response to our call for feedback," the president wrote. "I’m encouraged by the passion and rigor with which our community has engaged in this process."

Ono said the university does not plan to rush the development of the new policy, adding that "we will ensure all voices have an opportunity to be heard; and we will carefully review all the comments we receive."

Meanwhile, some 1,575 UM faculty, students and staff signed an open letter this week opposing the policy.

The signees said it "would severely restrict the right to freely assemble and to express views the university disapproves of in the guise of protecting university operations from 'disruption.' The freedom of individuals and of our university community to oppose or challenge existing policy and values is one of the principal characteristics of a democracy and of an engaged campus."

They added that the measure, "which applies prohibition of the vague term “disrupt” to all spaces on campus, and through all forms, including “obstructing lines of sight,” loud noises, and “projected light” is facially overbroad and substantially infringes on First Amendment rights."