Admissions Interactions: Deferrals
Admissions Digest, 04.12.2022
What's Going On in the Admissions Cycle Right Now?
Many admissions offices are slowing the rate of decisions until they get beyond their commitment deadlines so that they can assess how their classes are filling up and what more is needed to reach their goals.
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Discussion
This week, our continuing discussion on interactions with the law schools will resume with a discussion on deferrals.
Around commitment deadlines, candidates often hear about other opportunities that begin over the summer—contract work, 1-2 year teaching or volunteer opportunities, fellowships, internships, grad school admissions, etc. They may also hear of military assignments or deployments, or they may have family matters arise that require immediate and prolonged attention.
A deferral is an opportunity to delay your law school enrollment. Typically, deferments delay enrollment for one admissions cycle, but they can be extended for two years, depending on the candidate’s circumstances. Typically, a two-year deferral is only permitted where a candidate is enrolled in a two-year master’s program or has a military deployment. One-year deferrals are much more common, but they’re still not necessarily guaranteed. As with all considerations that are school-by-school, how each institution approaches deferrals will depend on various factors and internal policies.
After a candidate has deposited/committed to attend a school, they can make a request for deferment if they believe they will not be ready to begin classes in the fall. Ideally, if the candidate knows this early enough, the expectation is that the candidate will not apply to law school until they’re actually ready to attend, but admissions officers know that life happens, and they do try to accommodate accordingly.
Each school manages deferrals differently, so you’ll want to inquire with the school you’ve committed to what their deferral policy is. They may have a request form or require an emailed request. They may require documentation to show that you’ve been offered a job or fellowship, that you’ve enrolled in a grad program. or that you are being deployed. You should be candid in your request, and if you have a scholarship offer, you should mention whether you are hoping that offer will also be deferred.
Scholarship deferment is not a guaranteed thing, and often guaranteeing a scholarship to a deferred candidate requires the candidate to make a binding agreement that they will matriculate after the deferment period has ended—that they will not use the deferment period to retake the LSAT and/or apply to other law schools.
Some schools will not defer scholarships at all. Instead, they will consider the candidate again when scholarship considerations begin for the incoming class that the candidate will be joining following their deferment. This does mean that the offer can be completely different when the candidate does matriculate—the offer could be substantially less based on that year’s budget and institutional goals.
Some schools have binding and non-binding options for deferment, while others only offer one or the other. A non-binding deferral provides a candidate with a guaranteed seat in the next incoming class, though that candidate also has the freedom to apply to other schools during their deferral period. A candidate with a binding deferral would risk being reported to the LSAC’s Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admissions Process Sub-Committee if they applied to another law school.
Many schools have added a question to the application specifically asking if the candidate holds a binding deferral with any other school, and if a school finds out that a candidate holds a binding deferral after considering them for admission and making an offer, that school could rescind its admission. When unsure, it is imperative that you ask questions of the schools considering your candidacy.
7Sage on Clubhouse
Join 7Sage admissions consultants on Clubhouse on Wednesday, April 13 at 8 p.m. ET for a panel discussion on waitlist offers, commitment deadlines, and letters of continued interest (LOCIs). There will be time reserved for Q&A. RSVP for the event and join Club 7Sage here.
7Sage Webinar: What to Do When You’ve Finished the Core Curriculum
On Thursday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET, join the 7Sage Tutoring Team for a discussion for LSAT studiers about what to do when you’ve finished the core curriculum. There will be time reserved for a Q&A session. Register here.
7Sage Webinar: Waitlist Offers and LOCIs
On Thursday, April 21 at 9 p.m. ET, join co-founder David Busis and 7Sage admissions consultants for a panel discussion on waitlist offers, letters of continued interest, and commitment deadlines. There will be time reserved for Q&A. Register here.
Upcoming Recruitment Events
Duke Law is offering law student-guided tours on Mondays and Fridays at 2 p.m. ET. Tour size is limited, so registration is advised. Register here.
Notre Dame Law is offering in-person visits for prospective and waitlisted applicants on Mondays, which include a class observation, admissions information session, and student-led tour. Visits are limited to 10 people at a time. Register here.
UCLA Law is offering online information sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12:15 p.m. PT. Register here.
WashU Law in St. Louis is offering meetings with admissions, virtual open houses, and live-streamed events. For more details and to sign up, click here.