The first thing you should know is that there is a difference between a deferral and being placed on a waitlist. If your application gets deferred, it means that you haven't been accepted yet…but you might be…later. Hmmm…what are you supposed to do with that?!

Well, if you applied as an Early Action or Early Decision applicant, your application has basically been converted to a regular application. You'll be reviewed again during the normal admission season with all the other applicants. However, you've also been freed from any obligation to attend their school if accepted, and you can go ahead and apply to other schools as you wish.

If you applied during the regular admission cycle and have been deferred, then the school probably wants more information before they make a final admissions decision — such as senior year final grades or additional test scores. The sooner you can get it to them, the more likely you'll get a final answer sooner rather than later.

If you've been placed on a waitlist, it means that the admission folks are done reviewing your file and that you are on their radar, but not their first option. The other applicants that have been accepted received college admission letters of acceptance, but you have to wait and see whether or not they are going to accept you.

In academic terms, you're a backup. Waitlists are a safety net for colleges, allowing them to ensure that they have enough students to fill all of their vacancies, but it puts you in a spot where you may need to make some tough decisions. Sending in additional information isn't likely to change the situation, although you should certainly keep your application updated with anything that will enhance your student profile.