UPenn Deferred You: Now What?

Penn allows deferred students to submit one update through the Penn Applicant Portal. That's it, one shot. This update should take the form of a letter of continued interest, and it needs to be around 300 words. Every word counts.

Because of this tight constraint, your letter should do one thing exceptionally well: make the reader see you thriving at Penn. Don't waste precious words on achievements, that's your counselor's job. Your letter is about fit and vision.

I recommend opening with something engaging or lighthearted. Reading an update from someone who was, in a sense, not admitted is naturally awkward for an admissions officer. To make the experience as comfortable as possible for the reader, don't reference the deferral explicitly or convey disappointment.

After a positive opening, connect something related to your academic niche, perhaps a new development in your field or something you recently learned, to what's happening at Penn. Explain how leveraging specific opportunities there, whether it's a research center, a particular professor's work, or a unique program, will help you accomplish a goal that matters. Make the reader understand why Penn is essential to your trajectory.

Then paint a brief picture of yourself on campus. Show them you in the spaces where you'll thrive, not generically, but specifically. What will your days look like? How will your presence brighten the community? You want the reader to feel that by not admitting you, they'd be denying you the chance to live your best life for four years.

Close by thanking them for the opportunity to share more about yourself, and state unequivocally that if offered a seat, you will accept it immediately, no matter what other decisions you receive.

Separately, have your guidance counselor email your regional admissions team to update them on any awards, publications, accomplishments, and grades since you applied. They should affirm that you will choose to attend Penn if offered a spot. When your counselor brags on your behalf, it carries far more weight than self-promotion and signals that there's something compelling about you beyond your resume. Given how accomplished you must be to even be deferred from an Ivy League school in 2025, this intangible quality is what will distinguish you from other overachievers.

Be sure to submit your mid-year report as soon as grades are available, Penn recommends by February 15, 2026. Strong first-semester performance can meaningfully strengthen your case in the Regular Decision round.

If you'd like help crafting your letter of continued interest for Penn or any other school, please schedule a free consultation with us below.