I don't know if I'm the best person to be giving out advice on something like this as I've essentially deferred my entire life for the past year...but from reading what you wrote it sounds like you really feel it's in your best interest to defer and I think I would just go with that. It was just the impression that I got.
Plus, I can understand where you're coming from. My fiance's brother lives with us and just finished a 3 year graphics design degree and doesn't have a complete portfolio (or one that he's happy with) and it's causing problems for him...he's looking for just part-time mall jobs and stuff so he can keep working on it (doesn't have the option to defer). Portfolios are really important...so if deferring will help you get a really great one, that could be a good way to go