The college manages it on a case by case basis and we just have to send an email to admissions with the reason for deferment. We are not hyper about it. If he can defer, great, and if not, he was accepted and can attend elsewhere. He can also apply elsewhere for the year he returns.
I just want to take the right steps for the best possible outcome for where we are right now but our son is very flexible in terms of his future plans and where the chips may fall.