06/18/2026
The College Admissions Timeline Is Changing 🗓️
If it feels like college admissions decisions are taking longer than they used to, you’re right.
The Class of 2026 saw a significant increase in both deferrals and waitlists, and these trends are reshaping when students receive decisions—and ultimately commit to a college.
Many colleges are using their early application rounds differently than they did in the past. Rather than making a final decision in December, they’re deferring more students so they can review first-semester senior grades, updated test scores, new accomplishments, and continued demonstrated interest before making an admission decision.
This year, Yale deferred 83% of its early applicants. Georgetown, MIT, and Notre Dame also reported high deferral rates, while the University of Michigan now defers most out-of-state Early Action applicants.
We’re seeing the same trend at many popular southern universities. Clemson deferred approximately 58% of its Early Action applicants and offered more than 11,000 students a place on its waitlist, ultimately admitting only about 3% of them. Tennessee deferred many Early Action applicants until March before making final decisions, and the University of South Carolina’s dramatic growth in out-of-state applications has also led to increased deferrals and waitlist activity.
At the same time, many colleges are moving students off their waitlists earlier than they have in the past. As a result, more students are making enrollment decisions later in the spring, and some ultimately change their college choice after being admitted from a waitlist.
The biggest misconception I hear is that a deferral is simply a softened rejection. In reality, a deferral means the admissions committee isn’t ready to make a final decision.
That means students still have an opportunity to strengthen their application. A thoughtful letter of continued interest, updated grades, new accomplishments, and meaningful engagement with the college can all influence the final outcome.
The admissions process doesn’t end when you click “Submit.” For many students today, it’s simply entering its next phase.
