If you were deferred from the University of Pennsylvania, or Penn, you’re in luck. Penn is kind enough to give you clear guidance on what to do next, which is a very Penn thing to do. We aren’t surprised that a school that attracts analytical go-getters who like to look before they leap would provide their applicants with the very information they need to do so. Which is to say, good job Penn on being Penn-y.
First, though, some statistics.
Last year, Penn accepted 1218 students through their Early Decision program, resulting in a 15.6% early acceptance rate. After all that gushing about Penn providing information, there is one thing they aren’t giving us: the deferral rate. The Penn deferral rate could be anywhere from nearly zero to 80%, but it’s most likely somewhere in the middle.
As far as what your chances are of eventually getting into Penn in the regular decision cycle, Penn eventually accepted 16% of deferred applicants in 2018. It’s very likely that this number has decreased significantly, but you do have a chance — so it’s time to get to work.
Update Letter
Now back to the “Penn makes things easy,” vibe we were going for at the top of this post. Penn publishes a “deferral info sheet” that was recently updated for 2022-2023, and we love it.
In the info sheet, Penn states that they will accept update letters through the Penn Applicant Portal with a few extremely important caveats.
First, you can only submit an update letter once, so do not rush to do it, and get our help if you need it. They will not be reading your application again until after regular decision applications are it, so it doesn’t benefit you to turn your update letter in early (and, yes, you will be writing one because optional isn’t optional).
In addition to taking your time to do it right the first (and only) time, Penn gives you two more helpful nuggets of advice for writing your update letter.
First, they only advise updates if sending one “sheds new light on your candidacy.” Basically, don’t waste their time with fluff. If you don’t have a genuine update, it’s better not to send an update letter. Seeing as we said above that you must send one, the logic goes that you must also have (or conjure up through your own entrepreneurial Penn-worthy drive) an update.
Second, they request that you “be judicious,” which is their nice way of saying that more isn’t better. Like your resume, your update letter should be one single-spaced page in size 12 font. One page. That’s it.
Penn also offers the opportunity to submit test scores if you didn’t send them with your ED application. Only take them up on this if your scores are Penn caliber. Mediocre test scores aren’t better than nothing when they aren’t mandatory.
Give Your College List a Second Look
As you work on your thoughtful and “judicious” update letter, you also need to give your regular decision college list some thought. Not getting into Penn early doesn’t mean that you aren’t an Ivy League-caliber student, but it’s important to have a balanced college list regardless of how exceptional you are as a student. College admissions is tough, and so having a few target and safety schools that you would be happy to attend is crucial. We help dozens of students recalibrate their school lists for regular decision, so let us know if you want us to look at your list.
Given the tenacity of students who seek to attend Penn, we’d like to clarify here that Ivy League schools are not a target for anyone. If the acceptance rate is less than 10%, it isn’t a target regardless of how awesome you are, so pad your list out with schools that are more accessible and offer what you’re looking for academically and socially.
Keep Up the Hard Work
You’re applying to Penn, so we know we don’t need to ask you to work harder — you’ll do it on your own. If there is an opportunity to push your grades up a bit, this is the time to do it. If there is a chance to accomplish something meaningful that you could include in your update letter, you should do that too. This is the time to push, so keep pushing.
Set Time For Self-Care
As much as you need to keep working hard right now, it’s just as important that you schedule in time to take care of yourself. Go for a walk, watch a fun show, bake some cookies and eat them warm from the pan.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a deferral, send us an email. We help students like you bounce back from deferrals by crafting compelling applications.