Deferred and reapply?

[Zoloft Nation]

Okay all, here's the story...

I deferred admission last year in the top 15. Anyway, I sent in the "re-application" for the defered school but am having some second thoughts due to family obligatons (wife & child) and financial reasons. Should I risk blowing the deferral by applying to schools that would better fit my family/life situation?

Thoughts? Has anyone heard of someone re-applying and running into some serious trouble trying to get out of the deferral commitment or an early decision?

[Zoloft Nation]

Anybody? Thoughts? Advice?

[I am Penny Lane]

Unless you signed a contract saying you would not apply to other schools, I do not see how this could hurt you.

[«ě»]

If you haven't signed anything you're in the clear. The school cannot retract their offer of admission because you apply to other schools. There's also no way that they could know that you apply to other schools either.

[tonyp]

If you haven't signed anything you're in the clear. The school cannot retract their offer of admission because you apply to other schools. There's also no way that they could know that you apply to other schools either.

That would probably depend on the terms under which the deferral was granted.  If it was contingent on the OP's agreement not to apply to other schools during the deferral period, the school could very well withdraw the offer.

As a practical matter, folks do reapply with deferrals in hand, and little would probably come of it if the OP chose to do so.  But it's not unheard of for schools to talk to one another regarding applicants (see BigTex). 

[runnenaked]

A lot of applications ask if you are currently deferring enrollment at another law school.

[I am Penny Lane]

I have never seen this question. They seem to either ask 1. are you curently enrolled, or 2. have you ever been enrolled. If you defer, you are not yet enrolled and therefore, in my opinion, neither of those apply.

[«ě»]

If you haven't signed anything you're in the clear. The school cannot retract their offer of admission because you apply to other schools. There's also no way that they could know that you apply to other schools either.

That would probably depend on the terms under which the deferral was granted.  If it was contingent on the OP's agreement not to apply to other schools during the deferral period, the school could very well withdraw the offer.

Yes, that would be the "If you haven't signed anything" part...

[Wurd]

I agree with the general consensus on this matter.  I, for example, have differed two admissions because it's a tough decision.  I didn't have to sign anything at either school...just let them know by February. I've applied to another couple schools this cycle for the same reasons (family, personal)

I don't see how it hurts   

[tonyp]

If you haven't signed anything you're in the clear. The school cannot retract their offer of admission because you apply to other schools. There's also no way that they could know that you apply to other schools either.

That would probably depend on the terms under which the deferral was granted.  If it was contingent on the OP's agreement not to apply to other schools during the deferral period, the school could very well withdraw the offer.

Yes, that would be the "If you haven't signed anything" part...

The issue is agreement (formation) and terms, not signature.