Jan 23, 2026
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By Justin Neiman, Former Ivy League Admissions Officer
Deferred from Brown Early Decision? This guide covers what a Brown deferral ED means, how many deferred students Brown typically admits, and how you can improve your chances of gaining admission in Regular Decision. We’ll walk through the available admissions data to help you understand the Brown deferred acceptance rate, key Brown ED deferral statistics, and how to write a strong Brown LOCI.
If you applied Early Decision to Brown, the admissions committee may issue one of three decisions:
• You are accepted under Early Decision
• You are deferred to the Regular Decision pool
• You are denied
A deferral means Brown found your application competitive but wants to review it again alongside the larger Regular Decision applicant pool.
Brown remains one of the most selective ED programs in the Ivy League. For the Class of 2028, Brown received 6,244 Early Decision applications and admitted 898 students, an ED admit rate of around 14.4 percent.
Brown has not released a Deferred Acceptance Rate, but historically, about 5 to 10 percent of deferred Early Decision applicants are eventually admitted during Regular Decision.
A deferral from Brown signals:
• Your application is still very much alive
• Brown wants to evaluate your file again in context
• Midyear grades and new achievements may meaningfully impact the decision
• You remain a viable candidate for admission
A deferral is not a soft rejection — it is a sign that your file showed promise.
Submit a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI):
Reaffirm your interest in Brown and explain why it remains your first choice. Keep the tone sincere and focused.
Share Significant Updates:
If meaningful new developments have occurred since you submitted your application, include them. Examples include:
• Major academic or extracurricular awards
• New test scores
• A research update or publication opportunity
• A leadership achievement or community impact project
Submit Your Midyear Report:
Strong senior-year grades matter. Brown will review your mid-year transcript carefully as part of your continued evaluation.
Use the time before January deadlines to refine everything else:
• Review and elevate your personal statement
• Strengthen your supplemental essays — especially the “Why Brown?” essays for other schools
• Update your activities list with recent accomplishments
• Confirm your college list is balanced across target, reach, and likely schools
Your work now can significantly improve overall outcomes.
If you were denied instead of deferred, the decision is final. Brown does not reconsider denied ED applicants in Regular Decision. While disappointing, this outcome does not close the door permanently. You may reapply as a transfer student after completing at least one year of college coursework.
The best thing you can do is redirect your time and energy toward crafting the strongest possible Regular Decision applications.
A deferral is not a rejection—it’s an invitation to stay in the game. Keep excelling academically, remain proactive, and use this as an opportunity to refine your strategy. Remember, many successful students use setbacks as fuel for future success.
I like to share this quote from a past student to just offer some perspective:
“If I hadn’t been deferred in the early round, I wouldn’t have realized how much my application needed improvement. I made changes and ended up getting into all of my top schools during regular decision. It was a blessing in disguise.”
If you’d like support with your LOCI or your Regular Decision applications, feel free to reach out.
Deferred from Brown Early Decision? This guide covers what a Brown deferral ED means, how many deferred students Brown typically admits, and how you can improve your chances of gaining admission in Regular Decision. We’ll walk through the available admissions data to help you understand the Brown deferred acceptance rate, key Brown ED deferral statistics, and how to write a strong Brown LOCI.
If you applied Early Decision to Brown, the admissions committee may issue one of three decisions:
• You are accepted under Early Decision
• You are deferred to the Regular Decision pool
• You are denied
A deferral means Brown found your application competitive but wants to review it again alongside the larger Regular Decision applicant pool.
Brown remains one of the most selective ED programs in the Ivy League. For the Class of 2028, Brown received 6,244 Early Decision applications and admitted 898 students, an ED admit rate of around 14.4 percent.
Brown has not released a Deferred Acceptance Rate, but historically, about 5 to 10 percent of deferred Early Decision applicants are eventually admitted during Regular Decision.
A deferral from Brown signals:
• Your application is still very much alive
• Brown wants to evaluate your file again in context
• Midyear grades and new achievements may meaningfully impact the decision
• You remain a viable candidate for admission
A deferral is not a soft rejection — it is a sign that your file showed promise.
Submit a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI):
Reaffirm your interest in Brown and explain why it remains your first choice. Keep the tone sincere and focused.
Share Significant Updates:
If meaningful new developments have occurred since you submitted your application, include them. Examples include:
• Major academic or extracurricular awards
• New test scores
• A research update or publication opportunity
• A leadership achievement or community impact project
Submit Your Midyear Report:
Strong senior-year grades matter. Brown will review your mid-year transcript carefully as part of your continued evaluation.
Use the time before January deadlines to refine everything else:
• Review and elevate your personal statement
• Strengthen your supplemental essays — especially the “Why Brown?” essays for other schools
• Update your activities list with recent accomplishments
• Confirm your college list is balanced across target, reach, and likely schools
Your work now can significantly improve overall outcomes.
If you were denied instead of deferred, the decision is final. Brown does not reconsider denied ED applicants in Regular Decision. While disappointing, this outcome does not close the door permanently. You may reapply as a transfer student after completing at least one year of college coursework.
The best thing you can do is redirect your time and energy toward crafting the strongest possible Regular Decision applications.
A deferral is not a rejection—it’s an invitation to stay in the game. Keep excelling academically, remain proactive, and use this as an opportunity to refine your strategy. Remember, many successful students use setbacks as fuel for future success.
I like to share this quote from a past student to just offer some perspective:
“If I hadn’t been deferred in the early round, I wouldn’t have realized how much my application needed improvement. I made changes and ended up getting into all of my top schools during regular decision. It was a blessing in disguise.”
If you’d like support with your LOCI or your Regular Decision applications, feel free to reach out.
Former Admissions Officer, Harvard University
Former Assistant Dean, Stanford University
As a College Counselor I help students navigate the college admissions process. My goal is to help students stand out and get accepted to their top-choice schools.
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