OMG - I got deferred, now what!

oldschooldad
Thu, 13 Jul 2017 19:08:00 +0000

Gibby can speak for himself but here are two important bits of context to put the original message in context:

1. The post was written in mid December when kids were getting news of early decision and was meant to help those devastated by news. I took it as fatherly advice to help kids manage their disappointment and move on.

2. He was talking about SCEA schools like HYP (he never explicitly specified, but this seems clear from context) whose rates of acceptance after deferral are indeed quite low and probably far lower than Wash U. Remember, these are among the most selective schools on the planet. Don't take it as a blanket statement about all schools. I'm sure rates are more hopeful elsewhere.

Nobody should read the message as an attempt to crush hope or deny the accomplishments of people like you.
Of course, there are exceptions like you and the student who got into Princeton—you both deserve belated congrats and we are delighted for you. But people should understand cases like yours are a small minority, at least at the SCEA type schools. All the more reason why you both should be thrilled.

I think his advice remains sound. Better to prepare kids for the worst and have 5% of deferrals pleasantly surprised than to raise false hope for the 95% who ultimately get rejected. I think Stanford is ultimately more humane by rejecting a large portion of the SCEA kids rather than deferring the majority who never realistically have a chance.

Anyway, this post has come back like vampire from the dead. Gibby can do the honors of finishing it off by driving a stake through its heart.