Being deferred from Penn is a gut punch. You spent months building an application that showcased your academic strengths, your personal growth, and why you saw yourself thriving on their campus. You hit submit with hope, and now you're left in limbo. It’s disappointing. But a deferral isn’t the end, it’s a pause. Penn hasn’t closed the door. In fact, they’re still considering you!
You chose Penn early for a reason. Maybe it was the combination of rigorous academics and pre-professional opportunity. Maybe it was the draw of interdisciplinary programs like the Huntsman Program. Maybe it was the energy of Philly paired with a campus that just felt right. Whatever your why, it was strong enough to apply early, and that still matters. Penn’s ED acceptance rate is about 15%, and according to them, out of the deferred students, 9.5% are admitted in RD. Those odds aren’t terrible. You can influence this decision, and we want to help you do that.
So, take a minute to feel what you’re feeling. This isn’t easy. But don’t lose sight of the opportunity that’s still on the table. You’ve got another shot to show Penn how much you belong there, so let’s get into it.
Step One: Double-Check Your College List
If you went all in on Penn and didn’t give much attention to other schools, now’s the moment to regroup. It doesn’t happen as often these days, but if your entire fall revolved around Penn’s ED deadline, it’s time to shift gears. This stretch between mid-December and early January isn’t for wallowing – it’s for making smart moves. Start by reevaluating your college list with a clear head. Is it dominated by Ivies and long-shot reaches, with no real balance? Is it half-formed in a Notes app or missing actual safety options? Let’s tighten that up. A strong list usually includes 8–12 schools across the reach, target, and safety spectrum, based on your academics, extracurriculars, and goals.
And please, don’t just plug in new names based on prestige alone. If Penn appealed to you because of its strong interdisciplinary programs, urban campus, and access to hands-on experiences, find other schools with similar strengths. For example, M&T hopefuls might be interested in the new combo engineering and business program being offered at Michigan this year. You want options that align with your interests, not just your ego.
Once your list is solid, the supplements are your next major hurdle. This is where you show each school why you're a match, and where a lot of students lose steam. Start early, write thoughtfully, and don’t save it for 11:57 p.m. on deadline night. The sooner you finish, the more control you’ll feel. And if you need help tackling those prompts, we’ve got a full lineup of guides to walk you through it.
Step Two: Revisit Your Common App
Now’s the moment to read your Common App essay like a stranger would. Not as the person who labored over every line, but as an admissions officer halfway through their tenth application of the day. Be honest with yourself: does your essay actually reflect your personality and perspective? Or could it just as easily belong to another high-achieving student who took five APs and started a tutoring club? If you’re hesitant to mess with it, remember, this essay didn’t get you admitted to Penn, it got you deferred, and it’s always smart to touch every part of your application that didn’t work.
You want an essay that stands out. And sure, plenty of students get into amazing schools with cliched essays and boring stories, but the ones who leave a real impression tend to bring something unexpected to the table. You want specificity, voice, and emotional clarity. When an essay clicks, it’s because it couldn’t have been written by anyone else.
We’ll always have a soft spot for Prompt #7 (the it-girl of essay prompts), but the truth is, a standout essay can grow out of almost any prompt. What matters is the angle and how personally you tell it. Watch out for common missteps: listing achievements instead of telling a story, writing too much about others and not enough about yourself, summarizing without reflecting, or polishing so much that you lose your natural voice. If any of that sounds familiar, take it as your cue to pause, regroup, and revise with intention. You still have time to make it great.
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 between mid-December and early January, welcome to the most intense sprint of the admissions process. This is when everything needs to come together, and fast. Your first priority is making sure your Common App is sharp and compelling. Once that’s in solid shape, shift your focus to your other schools.
This is also a good time to double-check your activities list and additional info section. Are they clear, up to date, and easy to follow? Great. Now turn to the supplements. These schools want to know that you’ve actually thought about why you belong there, not just academically, but as a member of their community. The prompts you get asked are designed to suss out fit, for both you and the school. Vague answers or straight up copy-paste jobs with no edits to make it about the school won’t cut it.
Don’t tempt fate by pushing up against the deadline. Tech issues happen, nerves spike, and you don’t want to be frantically refreshing the portal at midnight. Submitting early gives you peace of mind, and keeps things clean.
Only after you’ve hit submit on your other schools should you loop back to Penn. A well-written, timely update can help your case, but only if the rest of your application strategy is already locked. Get your other work done first, then you can let Penn know you're still all in.
Step Four: Update
Penn has told us a little bit about their deferral process here, although it is an older document. Here are the highlights.
“Will I be required to submit additional materials?
You will be required to submit a Mid-Year Report to update our office on your recent academic performance in school. Your school counselor should submit the Mid-Year Report to us through the Common Application, the Coalition Application, via digital document transfer (Parchment, Naviance, SCOIR, MaiaLearning, Cialfo, Slate.org, etc.) or by email to documents@admissions.upenn.edu by February 15, 2022.
Should I send any other supplementary materials?
If you would like to send additional information that sheds new light on your candidacy, please submit your update through your Penn Applicant Portal. Our form will only allow you to submit an update once, so we recommend you take time to collect any new information or recognition you may have earned since submitting your Early Decision application and upload one comprehensive document by January 31, 2022. Please be judicious in the information you choose to include in your update.
I did not submit test scores as part of my Early Decision application. Do I have the option to submit them for consideration in Regular Decision?
Yes. You do have the option to submit test scores. You can update your selection on your Penn Applicant Portal.
To recap, here’s what Penn wants from you:
Mid-Year Report
This should be sent from your school counselor, but you can follow up with them
Updated Test Scores
If you took the SAT or ACT again and got a better score, this is a great time to tell them
Your deferral letter, also known as a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)
The Deferral Letter—Letter of continued interest
A deferral letter, or LOCI, is your chance to make a second impression with Penn and show them you’re still all in. This isn’t about restating everything from your application or making a grand emotional plea. It’s about confirming your interest, sharing new accomplishments, and doing it all with confidence, professionalism, and purpose. To quote Penn, you should be “judicious” with your updates.
Keep it concise, direct, confident, and professional. You’ll have about 300 words, enough to say something meaningful, but not enough space for a personal memoir. If you’ve had several significant developments since applying, you can stretch a little, but only if every word earns its spot.
Zero in on three things: (1) affirming that Penn is still your first choice, (2) stating clearly that you would attend if admitted, and (3) offering real, substantial updates that make your file even stronger than it was in December.
Updates might include new leadership roles, research or academic work, creative achievements, awards, or community engagement, anything that shows growth, curiosity, and momentum. Generic updates or restating things they already know from your application won’t move the needle. Focus on what’s new and noteworthy. Penn-worthy students will have these kinds of substantial updates.
End your letter with a genuine thank you and a brief final statement of continued commitment. Then upload it through your applicant portal. If you’ve had direct contact with your regional rep, it’s also okay to let them know it’s been submitted.
This letter is your second first impression, so make it count. You may have been deferred, but that means they saw something in you. So, show them why you’re worth the second look.
Step Five: Wait
We know, we know, boooooo. Waiting is the worst, especially when you’ve already poured so much into the process. But this is the part where you have to trust what you’ve already done and resist the urge to overdo it. No extra emails. No last-ditch updates. And definitely no impromptu road trip to Philadelphia to plead your case. Penn doesn’t need (or want) that.
You’ve played your hand well. You built a thoughtful list, submitted strong applications to other schools, and followed up with a clear, professional letter reaffirming your commitment. That’s the full playbook.
Now it’s about patience. Penn will release final decisions with the rest of the Regular Decision pool, likely around late March. Until then, shift your focus back to school, your friends, your senior year. You’ve done everything you can. Let Penn take it from here. Best of luck!
We can help you bounce back from a deferral or rejection. Reach out to us today to learn more.