For some background: I was accepted to a backup school during my senior year of high school. I was planning on taking a gap year anyway and so I deferred enrollment.
I am currently a gap year student and I intend on reapplying to UPenn ED in about a month. Do I have to withdraw from my backup in order to apply? If I am admitted, I intend on forfeiting the spot at the backup. But, I would still consider going to the backup in the likely scenario that I am not admitted so I would rather wait to withdraw until I absolutely have to.
I would check with your current University since some schools if you are defer will not allow you to apply to another school unless officially withdraw.
@Gumbymom thank you for the reply. My guidance counselor says that NACAC rules require I withdraw my application. I don’t think she’s right about this, though. I will keep doing research. If it helps you give a more specific answer, the school I’m currently enrolled in is BU.
You should contact BU directly and ask if students who were approved for deferral can hold their spot if they’re applying to other schools. Their rules are the ones that matter.
There is a clearinghouse where colleges store this type of information. But I think its limited to students who matriculate. I’m not sure if admissions decisions (or deferred acceptances) are also stored in the clearinghouse.
In either case, read carefully your acceptance letter from BU. It should specifically state what the stipulations are. You can obviously disregard their requirements, since its not an official contract. But you might face some consequences.