It's time for my annual “What to do if you're deferred" advice. I write about this issue every December, and since Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) decisions are almost all out now, some of you seniors have gotten the news that you weren't hoping for: You've been bumped into the spring applicant pool. You're no doubt wondering why that happened. More importantly, though, you should be pondering what you can do about it.

Over the past several decades, I have dealt with a lot of seniors who have been deferred from their ED/EA applications. Some of them would have preferred to have been denied outright, since that would have supplied a note of finality to their process at that particular school. Deferrals are a kind of purgatory that keep applicants in suspense until spring. Plus, as if that weren't enough, there is always the possibility of a deferred applicant being placed on a waiting list in the spring. Talk about purgatory! However, the point of my advice today is to show how to deal with your deferral. We'll discuss waitlists in a few months.

Know the Options

There are several schools of thought out there about dealing with deferrals. The minimalist approach is to do nothing. “They said that my application would get another review with the Regular Decision pool," these pragmatic applicants say. “So, I'm just going to let them do that. I thought my application was pretty good, anyway."

Okay. So, these applicants are from the “No need to do anything further" school. Another more negatively thinking group might say something like, “Hey, get real. When you're deferred in December, chances are very high that you'll be denied in the spring. If they thought you were that good to begin with, they would have accepted you outright. So, I'm not going to worry about my deferral and I'll look for greener pastures elsewhere."

Thus, these two schools of thought amount to: “Do nothing and hope something good happens." Well, I'm not from that school. I believe that there are things you can do that can possibly provide some weight to tip the scales in your favor. I thought I would share that approach with you here -- then you can decide which school of thought you're in. Fair enough?

Before delving into specifics, I'd like to give you a bit of perspective on my so-called deferral campaign process. Although I realize that you may want to jump right in with both feet and do everything possible to get that good-news email in the spring, please understand that there's a kind of “patient rhythm" to what you'll need to do. You'll have to do certain things at certain times, as I'll explain, but resist the urge to deluge the admissions office with a weekly barrage of information. Strategically timed, significant contact spread over the weeks between now and mid-to-late March is the key to an optimum effort.

Say the Unsaid

First, I would like you to think about anything that doesn't appear on your application. I'm talking about examples of things that can set you apart from other applicants: Special long-term hobbies, work-related experiences or anything at all that is unique. Don't hold back or fail to note (yes, write down your thoughts) anything, regardless of how unimportant or insignificant you may feel it to be.

Maybe your mom, dad or friends might be able to remind you of something. Be comprehensive. I'm talking about eclectic, broad-based, personal things you do (not resume stuff). Do you create quilts, collect Civil War soldier figurines, fly airplanes or drones, do creative photography, etc.? If so, make a note about that. The point is to let the admissions office know what makes you an interesting person, beyond the “usual" stuff most applicants write about.

Next, make sure that you understand some basics about dealing with deferrals. Your “marketing campaign" (that's what it really amounts to) should have two main parts:

1. Getting help from your school counselor

2. Helping yourself in the classroom and through contact with admissions.

Your counselor should have enough motivation and advocacy ability to contact your college's regional admissions rep and lobby for your admission. This is something school counselors either know or don't know how to do. If you haven't already done so, you should ask your counselor what he or she will be doing on your behalf regarding your deferral.

The counselor should ask the reps about which specific areas they would like to see you improve in order for you to increase your chances for admission. Once they understand the landscape, the counselor can lobby in your behalf and brief you. Then you can conduct your side of the campaign at the same time.

Your job will consist of doing your very best in your academics and continuing to pursue your activities, perhaps even making something “dramatic" happen in one of them. You should also make a point to maintain regular contact (not to the point of being a pest, though) with your admissions rep. Have you done a campus visit and had an interview (either on campus or local alum)? If not, then this could be one way of showing your passion for that school.

You should also consider getting one more outstanding (hopefully extraordinary) recommendation. The qualifications for an additional rec writer include knowing you well enough to write about you on more than just a surface level. The majority of recs are ineffective because they don't reveal anything other than platitudes about the applicant. A truly insightful, moving rec can do a lot to influence an admissions committee to make a positive decision. You've probably used your best teacher recs already. Think long and hard about someone who fits this description of knowing you well.

Don't Count on A Sure Thing

Many applicants tend to overlook competitive colleges' seemingly arbitrary approach to college admissions. You may have read the posts on the College Confidential discussion forum about applicants who are deferred, rejected or wait-listed from their first-choice schools each year for no apparent reason. I mention this only to underscore the point that, in most cases with these competitive schools, there is no such thing as a “sure thing" when it comes to college admissions.

Last year's ED/EA application season was, without doubt, the toughest year ever for admissions. Many seniors with stellar stats were either denied or deferred at the top schools. I find this situation almost unbelievable. I say these things not to discourage you, but rather to prepare you for what lies ahead: A challenging deferral campaign and admissions process at your other candidate colleges. This coming year will be even tougher.

You must tell your adcom rep about your intentions to prove, beyond a doubt, that you are a worthy applicant. This statement will take the form of a brief but pointed letter sent to your regional rep. A letter is preferable to an email at this point because it will certainly find its way into your folder. Sometimes emails don't get printed out and they kind of evaporate into the ether, thus losing their impact. Here's a spec for that letter:

- Length: 250-300 words, three or four paragraphs.

- Tone: Upbeat, optimistic, eager. Kind of like “I can't wait to show you all these additional great aspects about me that are sure to convince you that I'm worthy." (Don't use that exact sentence. It's just a mood-setter for you.)

- Format: Standard business letter.

- Mailing: First-class USPS. Don't waste money on any form of overnight delivery or express mail service. When to mail: As soon as possible, since the review of RD applications begins in early January.

Key points to emphasize:

– I'm not discouraged but relish the challenge of turning my deferral into an admit.

– I plan on writing an additional personal statement to detail some special aspects about me that I didn't have room to include in my application.

– I hope that you'll take my appeal seriously and be willing to review my periodic contacts.

– [College name] is still my absolutely clear first-choice school and I hope to prove that I am a worthy member of your incoming freshman class.

– Thank you for your time and consideration. I'll be in touch again soon.

Put these points into your own words and, as I mentioned, make three or four brief (don't drone on) paragraphs.

Focus on Personal Statement

Next, you'll want to do an additional personal statement. The topic will be some aspect about yourself that you didn't cover in your original application. Think hard and try to come up with something that ties you to what you want to pursue at your school. I see this statement as being no longer than 400 words. That would be about three paragraphs.

These are the key elements of a strong statement:

– Attention-grabbing lead

– Short, but effective, sentence structures

– Good paragraphing with logical transitions

– A firm thesis statement

– Pointed anecdotes (mild humor would be appropriate, at least once)

– A conclusion that wraps up everything and ties back into your opening.

Finally, let me explain a little more detail about the competitive admission process, to help you understand how you were (and will be) viewed by your candidate colleges:

Admission committees build a freshman class much the same way that an artist creates a mosaic. That is, they use small pieces (the applicants) — each distinct in their own ways — to work together to build the cogent whole of an incoming first-year student body. As they examine each application, admission staff members ask themselves, “Which piece is this?" Is it the squash player, snare drummer or Intel Science winner? Colleges have a pretty good idea of what they want their incoming class to look like and your profile may be one of the pieces that helps to complete the overall design.

The big “X factor" in the competitive admissions process tends to be the relationship that your school and counselor have with each college on your list. If you've read The Gatekeepers by Jacques Steinberg, which follows a year in the life of the Wesleyan University office of admission, you'll know how much politicking goes on among elite college admission officers and the college counselors at many high schools. Thus, there will always be one big variable about your chances that you won't know.

The key here is that you should be prepared to develop a strong relationship with your adcom rep over the coming months. You should be ready to provide him or her with news about any kind of significant accomplishment on your part. You won't be in constant contact, but a good rule of thumb is at least two contacts of some kind per month. Your counselor can do his or her thing, too, along the way.

Although there are no guarantees, I can promise you that if you follow these guidelines, you will have done all that you can do to take your best shot at turning your deferral into an acceptance. It's going to take some work, but that's the price you must pay to pursue your dream school. Best wishes for your success!