Getting deferred stings. You worked hard on your Carnegie Mellon ED application, poured energy into every section, and hit submit with hope. And now, instead of a yes or no, you’re in the maybe zone. It’s not what you were hoping for, but it’s also not the end. A deferral doesn’t mean rejection; it means “hold tight.” And that gives you a chance to regroup and make a strong second impression!
It’s completely normal to take this news personally, but try not to let it shake your confidence. A deferral isn’t a reflection of your abilities or potential – it’s more about just how selective CMU has become. To help make sense of things: while Carnegie Mellon doesn’t release official ED deferral stats, we know their Early Decision admit rate (~20%) is higher than Regular Decision (11%). They also split applications by college, and deferrals can be more common in popular programs like CS or engineering. Still, you’re not out. You just need to recalibrate and make smart moves now.
Step One: Double-Check Your College List
If Carnegie Mellon was the only school you applied to this fall, now’s the time to expand your focus. Don’t panic, but don’t waste time either. Start by taking a second look at your list of potential colleges. Is it diversified enough? You’ll want a healthy mix of reach, match, and safety schools, ideally around 8–12 in total. Use your academic performance and extracurricular background to assess where you’re a good fit.
And let’s not build your list purely on prestige. Think about what drew you to CMU in the first place. Was it the focus on interdisciplinary learning? The project-based coursework? A vibrant city campus? Many other universities have similar characteristics – think Northeastern, Harvey Mudd, Rice, UChicago, Tufts, or even honors colleges at state universities or public schools with fantastic engineering, business, or CS programs. Prioritize schools that align with your interests and learning style, not just name recognition.
Once your list is refined, it's time to dive into the work. Supplemental essays give you the chance to show fit, personality, and purpose. And we’ve got guides to help you make them great.
Step Two: Revisit Your Common App
Now’s a great moment to revisit your Common App essay with fresh eyes. Read it detached from the hard work you’ve put into it, and ask yourself, does it really tell your story, or could it sound like someone else with a similar GPA and resume? Our most successful students tend to submit essays that are genuine, specific, and unmistakably them, not just “good on paper.”
And look, cliched essays work for lots of students, we get it, but now that you’re competing in the RD/ED2 arena, you need an essay that stands out to give you the best shot possible. Red flags to check for include essays that read like a list of your achievements, pieces that spend too much time talking about another person, drafts that summarize events without giving us your perspective, essays that wax poetic about lessons learned, or ones that try to connect your life to some big metaphor. They’ve seen all those before, we want you to stand out and be different. Prompt #7 (write an essay of your own design) is always popular with us, but any prompt can work if your voice shines through.
Like your essay overall, but just feel like something’s missing? That’s okay. Revisions, big or small, can make a real difference in this round.
Need to completely revamp your Common App essay? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Step Three: Other Applications
Mid-December through early January is when the college application calendar really speeds up. If you’re reading this right now, you’re deep in crunch time, and your main job is to finalize your Regular Decision materials.
Make sure your Common App is ready to go. Then, double-check your activities list – clarity, conciseness, and impact are key. Next up are your supplemental essays. You’ve got to give every school your best shot. And yes, submitting on New Year’s Eve at 11:59 p.m. is technically allowed, but we absolutely don’t recommend it. Submit early, reduce the risk of tech hiccups, and breathe easier.
Once all your RD apps are done, then it’s time to update CMU.
Step Four: Update
CMU doesn’t post much about deferrals publicly:
“Three decisions can be given: admit, deny or defer to Regular Decision.”
Go on, girl, give us nothing! Anyways, here's what we recommend compiling based on experience:
Mid-Year Grades
Your school counselor will likely submit this automatically, but check to make sure it’s happening.
New Test Scores (optional)
Only submit these if you’ve retaken and seen improvement.
Deferral Letter or Letter of Continued Interest
CMU has, in the past, taken a creative approach to LOCIs, so be mindful of any instructions they send you directly.
The Deferral Letter – Letter of Continued Interest
The letter of continued interest (LOCI) is your way of letting Carnegie Mellon know that you’re still 100% in, and that since your first application, you’ve only gotten stronger.
A strong LOCI should do three things: 1) reaffirm that CMU is still your top choice, 2) express your intention to enroll if admitted, and 3) highlight two or three significant updates that bolster your application. Don’t repeat your resume. Don’t rehash your application. Focus on what’s new.
Keep it brief – around 300 words. Go up to 400 only if you’ve had major developments since November, like if you cured a disease or got a Nobel Prize-level major. Be thoughtful, direct, and confident. This isn’t the place for flattery or desperation. It’s a professional follow-up.
Begin with a formal greeting. If you’ve previously spoken with your regional rep, address them by name. If not, “Dear Carnegie Mellon Admissions” is totally fine. Right off the bat, say it clearly: if admitted, you would attend. This matters. When you were ED, they counted on you enrolling. Now that you’re part of the RD pool, you want to reassure them that hasn’t changed.
Then move into your updates. Prioritize accomplishments or growth that strengthen your candidacy, academic awards, independent projects, leadership roles, or creative work. Essentially, something that shows you’ve maintained momentum since your application. If you don’t have much in the way of updates, you can connect what you do have to things at CMU you’re excited to be a part of, but don’t rehash anything that was in your OG application.
End with a thank-you and another clear statement of intent. Upload the letter to your applicant portal, and if you have your rep’s email, you can also send it there with a quick note letting them know you’ve submitted the update and are happy to provide more if needed.
Now, one caveat to this. Last cycle, CMU changed their waitlist policy, specifically shouting out waitlist letters. “Well, that’s waitlist and this is deferral!” you might be saying, but we’re here to tell you that a waitlist letter and a deferral letter are pretty similar, and since CMU likes to be ~GrOuNdBrEaKiNg~, there’s a chance they may do the same with deferrals. Last year, they specifically shouted out that they do not want LOCIs for waitlist students, but instead gave this vague direction: “Our waiting list process is designed to give everyone who is interested in remaining on our waiting list the opportunity to respond about their uniqueness by sending us a paragraph at the appropriate time, only when we know there are additional places to fill”.
Of course, the paragraph ended up being a prompt that was eerily close to the standard LOCI, but know that if they do throw a wrench into the plan, we can still help.
Step Five: Wait
Once you’ve submitted your updates, the best move is to be patient.
Now is not the time to send more emails, ask for more rec letters, or show up on campus hoping for a face-to-face meeting. Your application is back in their hands, and they’ll revisit it during the Regular Decision review process.
CMU decisions typically roll out with the rest of their RD notifications, usually in mid-to-late March. Until then, the best thing you can do is focus on school, keep your grades up, and finish senior year strong.
You’re not out of the running. Not even close. You’ve still got a shot, and we’re here to help you take it. You’ve got this.
We can help you bounce back from a deferral or rejection. Reach out to us today to learn more.