Getting deferred from MIT stings – no way around it. You aimed for the stars, spent weeks (maybe months) putting your application together, hit submit… and now you’re in limbo. It’s disappointing. It’s confusing. And yes, it’s deeply frustrating. But a deferral doesn’t mean it’s over. MIT didn’t close the door, and you still have a few things in your control. So take a breath. Eat a snack. Let yourself feel bummed for a minute. And then, remember this: you’re still in the game.
A deferral has nothing to do with whether you're smart, accomplished, or "MIT material.”. This decision says far more about MIT’s competitive process than it does about your potential. Their early action acceptance rate hovers in the single digits. Regular decision is even tougher. MIT is rare in that they actually supply us with statistics on how many deferred students get in during RD – last cycle, 12,563 students applied REA to MIT, 661 were accepted, 8,051 were deferred, and 206 deferred students were accepted during RD. That means the REA rate was 5.2%, and the acceptance rate for deferred students was 2.55%. Low, but not impossible. And framing it as 206 – we like that! That means deferred students made up 16% of their admitted class. Not too shabby!
So what now? You regroup. You refine your other applications. You put together a smart, concise, no-frills letter of continued interest. There’s still time to shape how this ends, so let’s help you do that strategically.
Step One: Double-Check Your College List
If your application season was centered entirely around MIT and you haven’t given your other applications much love, now’s the time to shift gears. No need to panic, but this next stretch is critical, and if you’re reading this in mid-December, it means it’s time to get into action mode.
Take an honest look at your college list. Is it balanced? Are there a mix of schools where your chances vary – some highly selective, some more attainable, and a few true safeties? Ideally, you’re aiming for 8 to 12 schools that genuinely make sense for your academic profile, goals, and interests. If you’re staring at a list of reach schools only (or worse, a blank document) it’s time to expand and recalibrate.
You should not be making your list just based on brand names. If MIT felt like the right place because of its hands-on research, collaborative culture, or a specific program, use that to guide your search. There are plenty of other universities and honors programs where that same energy lives – think Caltech, Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Michigan, Cooper Union, Purdue, or even certain tracks within larger state schools.
Once you’ve got a strong list, your attention should go straight to the writing. The supplemental essays are your chance to connect the dots between what you’ve done and what you’re hoping to do next. They’re also the best way to stand out in the RD pool. So start early, stay focused, and use your essays to show why you’re a fit for each school, not just that you’re impressive (even though you probably are!). If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got plenty of strategy guides and prompt breakdowns to help you get going.
Step Two: Revisit Your Common App
MIT is not in the Common App, and if you only did an MIT application, you need to write a Common App essay. If you did write a Common App essay for any other applications, you should take the time to look at it again, since your sights were set elsewhere during early admissions.
Does it sound like you, or just someone who checks a lot of boxes? If your essay could’ve been written by any other high-achieving student with the same stats and activities, it’s probably not doing enough. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad essay. But it might be a forgettable one. Now, there’s no magic formula, but there is a strategy. Students get into top schools every year with personal-growth essays, classic life-lesson narratives, and even stories about grandma. But in our experience, the applicants who walk away with offers from their top-choice schools are usually the ones who took the time to make their essays feel unmistakably personal and distinct in voice, story, and perspective.
We’re eternal fans of Prompt #7 (always a solid option), but a great essay can come from almost any of the prompts if the writing is sharp and the story feels real. Common issues we see this time of year are essays that repeat what’s already in the Activities section, lack emotional depth, stories focused more on events than the applicant’s internal growth, or writing that just doesn’t carry the student's voice.
If any of that hits close to home, don’t stress. A compelling essay might just be one strong revision away, or you may need to pivot to something new altogether. Either way, this is your shot to bring something fresh and compelling to your Regular Decision or ED2 apps.
Need to completely revamp your Common App essay? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Step Three: Other Applications
If you’re reading this sometime between mid-December and early January, welcome to the pressure cooker. This is the final sprint, and how you spend the next few weeks matters. Your top priority is making sure your Common App essay is as strong, specific, and memorable as it can be.
Once that’s in good shape, take a fresh look at your activities list. Is everything accurate and well-formatted? Any last-minute tweaks needed? Is it in an order that makes sense? We recommend listing by academic and then personal importance. Now, shift your energy to those supplemental essays. Every school deserves a response that feels intentional and well-crafted, and while you can use the same bones of a Why Essay for a lot of schools, or even a community essay, make sure you’re hitting the points you need to and doing specific research for each.
Note to the wise: don’t try to beat the buzzer at 11:59 p.m. Submit early. It’s better for your nerves, and you’ll avoid the last-minute tech nightmares that can (and do) happen.
Only after all your Regular Decision apps are submitted and out the door should you circle back to MIT. That’s when you can send a focused, well-written update.
Step Four: Update
MIT is one of our favorites because they tell us so much about each part of their process. Make sure to read their FAQ page on deferrals. Here are some highlights:
“Can I send in new materials, redo parts of my application, send in new letters of recommendation, or send in a new portfolio?
We deferred you because we want to reevaluate your application as is (i.e. it is competitive as it is!). You CANNOT rewrite your essays, redo your interview, replace your letters of recommendation with new ones, or redo your application.
The only update you will need to send is the February Updates & Notes (FUN) Form (we will send you an email letting you know when this form is available). In the FUN Form, you can tell us things like:
Your midyear grades
Anything new that has happened or will happen before we review RA applications, like new awards, activities, work, etc.
Anything about your circumstances that have changed since you submitted your application that you think we should know about
Note: You do NOT necessarily need to fill the form with new updates. If you’re only providing your midyear grades, that’s totally fine.
If you have new test scores, simply log in to your Application Status Page and scroll down to where you can see all the scores you’ve submitted. Below the test scores chart is a link that says, “Add new test scores.” Clicking this link will bring you to a new page where you can self-report your scores. You do not need to send in official scores from the testing agency. Please note: Scores cannot be deleted once they are submitted
We only recommend you submit a supplemental portfolio if you were planning to do so for Early Action, but just ran out of time. The deadline to submit a supplemental portfolio is January 6. You cannot make changes to portfolios that have already been submitted, though you are welcome to provide any meaningful updates using the FUN Form.
Things you DON’T have to do:
Send us an email saying you’re still interested in MIT (we’ll assume you are unless you tell us otherwise)
Write a new essay (the FUN Form’s 250 word limit prevents you from doing this)
Bombard our office with excessive emails or new materials
TL;DR – MIT does not want the “typical” deferral letter, but they do want some updates, if and only if you have them. Which is honestly good guidance! Some other things you may want to compile:
Mid-Year Report and Mid-Year Transcript
Your school counselor should do this, but it doesn’t hurt to follow up
Updated Test Scores
If relevant – and only if you saw a score increase. They also don’t require you to send them straight from the testing company, you can self-report
Updates to your resume (more on this next)
MIT is clear that they do not want you to send extra information, write additional emails, or bother them with incessant updates. What you put in the FUN form is plenty. Also, what a FUN name!
The Deferral Letter—letter of continued interest
MIT does things a little differently (surprise!). Instead of a freeform letter, you’ll submit updates through the February Updates & Notes Form – affectionately nicknamed the FUN Form. You’ve got a 250-word limit and a focused scope: you can only share your midyear grades, any new awards, activities, or jobs, or note any significant changes to your circumstances since you applied.
This is not the place to restate everything MIT already knows about you. It’s your chance to show momentum. Your job is to be clear, specific, and brief.
Start by reiterating your enthusiasm for MIT. While you don’t (and shouldn’t) need to write a sonnet about how much you love the place, make it clear that if offered admission, you’re all in. You need to state this very plainly. “If I am accepted to MIT, I will absolutely attend,” type beat. Remember, now that you’ve been deferred, your application is rolling into the Regular Decision pool – and MIT wants to know that they’re still your top choice. MIT has a very, very high yield rate (85%) and they want to keep it that way.
Then get to the good stuff. Stick to a couple of meaningful updates. Did you take on a new leadership role? Maybe you won a competition, landed a new research opportunity, or launched a new project that fits perfectly into your academic niche. Prioritize substance, you don’t have the space to mention everything you’ve done. And if you haven’t done much since applying, they specifically state they are okay with you just reporting your grades.
Once you’ve submitted your FUN Form, you’re done – no emails to admissions, no extra letters. Trust that your update will be read and taken seriously.
Step Five: Wait
The waiting game isn’t fun! But you’ve already taken every step you can. Your application? Submitted. Your FUN Form? Sent. Your enthusiasm for MIT? Crystal clear.
Now it’s time to pause. This is not the moment to draft another update or brainstorm a new reason to reach out. And please, don’t show up on campus unannounced. MIT isn’t looking for extra emails, last-ditch pitches, or surprise visits, they specifically told you to not do these things, and if you do these things, we wouldn’t be surprised if your application ends up in the trash.
Your application will be evaluated again during Regular Action, alongside thousands of others. That’s out of your hands. What’s in your hands is how you finish senior year: stay engaged, keep your momentum, and don’t lose sight of the big picture. MIT saw something in you, enough to keep you in the game. So you’re still in the game.
Hang tight. Decisions usually roll out in mid-March. Best of luck!
We can help you bounce back from a deferral or rejection. Reach out to us today to learn more.