Take a deep breath. Getting deferred from Vanderbilt probably represents a pretty big detour from what you were hoping for. However, it isn’t the end of the world. You may still be able to attend Nashville, TN’s favorite research university, but you'll need to take a couple of important steps. This isn’t the time to be discouraged; rather, you need to lock in and maximize your chances at success.
First things first, we are proud of you. Being deferred is stressful, but it actually means that you are an impressive candidate. Trust us, if Vandy didn’t see something in your application, you would have been rejected. Instead, they want to take another look at your application. This is a good thing. Vanderbilt doesn’t defer many people. are a little old, but generally Vanderbilt only defers about 10% of candidates. They accept about another . This means up to 80% of candidates are simply rejected, and you are 100% a competitive candidate at top schools. It is just that in recent years, Vandy has become ultra-competitive.
It has never been harder to get into Vanderbilt. Last year, their RD hit the historic low of . Still, Dean of Admissions Doug Christiansen noted that recent classes have been 10-12% made up of deferred applicants. You very much have a shot, but the next steps you take are extremely important.
We want to share some tips in a moment, but our biggest tip is to work with a professional. We can help you navigate the deferral process and make sure you are set up for success.
Contact us today to maximize your chances during RD.
We understand that you probably want to jump right into what to do about Vandy, but there are a couple of important steps you have to take with your RD schools first.
Review Your College List
You are still in the running at Vanderbilt, but you can’t rely on getting in RD. It’s time to review your college list. It is important to have a dynamic and balanced list. This means having at least 3 targets and 3 foundationals (sometimes also called safeties). These categories can’t be based on a feeling; you need solid data to back up your list. Check out use tools like Naviance, and speak with an expert like us.
Once you have a balanced list populated with schools that you would be happy to attend (yes, you even need to like the safeties), you can move on to the next step.
Reassess Your Common App Essay
Students come to us all the time after a deferral. One of the first questions they ask is, “Could I have done anything better?” 9 times out of 10, the answer is yes, and it's tied to the Common App essay.
Let’s be clear, your Common App essay is likely not bad. If it were bad, you would have been rejected. However, often we have found that deferred students’ essays are not as strong as they could have been.
Writing great personal essays is hard; your Common App essay will be read by every school you apply to, so it’s worth taking time to make sure it is great. When we work with deferred students, we review their entire Common App and make a bespoke plan for improvement. However, if you are going it alone, we would highly recommend at least reading our Official Common App Essay Guide 2026/2027 and asking yourself if your essay is as strong as it can be.
Trust us: we literally do this every day and specialize in eye-catching essays. At elite schools, essays can make all the difference. Don’t skimp on this step!
Press Submit
After reworking and finalizing your Common App, it is time to get your RD applications in. Don’t procrastinate! Deadlines come up fast, and there is more to do. Once you get your RD apps in, it is time to return to Vanderbilt.
What Vanderbilt Wants
Vanderbilt is a little hush-hush on what it needs from deferred students. However, they have two answers that should help you piece together the picture. As an answer to a question about updates and extra materials, they write:
After submitting your application, you will be instructed to create your MyAppVU portal. Through this portal, you can upload additional application materials, change your decision plan, update your email and mailing addresses, etc.
As an answer to another question, they write:
Students who are deferred to Regular Decision should ask their school counselor to submit their first semester (or second trimester) grades once the grades are available.
Your job is twofold: make sure they have your grades and send a Letter of Continued Interest as additional application material.
Mid-Year Grades
The first thing Vandy will need is your mid-year grades. Your counselor should know to send this automatically as part of their Mid-year report. However, it is best practice to follow up and make sure your counselor has everything they need on their end. You also need to make sure your grades this year are spectacular, but you probably already knew that. Make sure you mark yourself safe from senioritis!
Letter of Continued Interest
You should also send Vandy a letter of continued interest or LOCI. While this should be uploaded through the MyAppVU, it should be roughly the length of a solid email or short essay. Think around 300 words.
The main point of this letter should be updating the school about what you have been up to since you have applied. Ideally, you should have 1-3 significant updates to include. What do we mean by “Significant updates”? We are glad you asked! Let’s use some examples that our past students have used:
Taking on a new leadership role, like becoming the captain of the debate team
Publishing research or attending a conference
Starting a job or internship
Receiving an award
Taking a class outside of school
A team making it to a high level of competition; for example, going to regionals.
This is a non-exhaustive list, but notice how they feel a lot bigger than “getting an A on a test” or “winning a game.” Vanderbilt already has a lot of information about you. You don’t want to tell them things they already know. Choosing your updates carefully is essential. If you are nervous, reach out; we can help you write a winning LOCI!
Once you have updated them on what you have been up to, it is time to reaffirm that Vanderbilt is your top choice. RD isn’t binding, so you really want to make sure they understand that you still plan to attend in the fall if accepted. You can also add a little bit about why it is your top choice. Don’t add too too much (remember, this shouldn’t be too long), but if you haven’t had a chance to speak about why you choose to apply ED, you can add it.
Add a formal intro and sign-off and have an LOCI!
Additional Materials
You might be asking, can I send anything else? Honestly, maybe. It depends on what you have already sent them through the portal. When we work with deferred students, we look over what they have already sent before answering this question. Generally, we would say, be careful not to spam them. Sometimes less is more. You want to send the right additional materials and not just anything you can think of. This is a bit of an art; again, if you are unsure, we can help.
We will keep our fingers crossed for you, but you will need more than luck to set yourself up successfully for RD. Follow our steps, keep on top of deadlines, and make a good plan. And remember, if you need us, we can help maximize your chances of getting into Vandy and other top schools. Check out our It’s Going to be Ok package for more info.
Navigating a deferral is difficult, but we have you covered. Contact us to talk to a counselor today!