Will sending in my application before the deadline help?
Unless the school is rolling* then no. If you send your application in before the deadline it will not be read sooner, you will not receive your decision sooner, and you will not be more likely to get in.
When applications reach the admissions office, it takes a small army of people to open all that mail (or print out all the electronic submissions), sort it, file it, respond to all those little postcards people put in to confirm their applications were received, enter the data into the computer database, make folders containing the application with color coded stickers with your name/region/home state identifiers, then organize the folders according to admissions reader (usually based on geography) and present this final product in a uniform, readable manner so that the admissions officer can start reading applications. Rarely are admissions officers enlisted in this particular army.
Applications are not necessarily read in the exact order they were received by mail nor are they read as soon as they are formatted and in ready mode. The admissions officers spend the fall months traveling around the world visiting schools and structure their time around the November 1, or November 15th arrival of early applications. Reading usually begins in early November or December.
So, if you sent your early decision/admission application in on October 5, it will have spent a good month or so on a shelf awaiting its turn. Furthermore, the application is not read until it is complete - so even if you send your parts in before the deadline it will only be read once all the parts trickle in. And don’t worry, a recommendation letter that arrives after the other materials will not adversely affect your chances. With thousands of applications waiting to be read, the backlog serves as an equalizer making most all applications sit around waiting to be read. This, unlike much of what happens in high school, is not a race.
*”rolling” refers to rolling admission where you can send in your application at any point within some guidelines and it will be read and decided in roughly that order.
|
Posted on December 4, 2007 under Advice |
|
Comments (8)
YES!!! it will help if you send your apps in early. I sent a few of mine in around thanksgiving and a already have been accepted into 1!!!! so if you do send them in early it helps.
Posted on December 14, 2007 11:52 AM
So a family member has been coaxing me to apply to a certain school, which, as it turns out, doesn't sound all that bad. But the suggestion was made VERY last-minute.
I know that I won't be able to get my transcripts, recommendations, test scores and school forms there in time, but if I submit the Common App online by the deadline, could I possibly be okay?
Posted on December 20, 2007 2:15 PM
I applied to a University last month on Dec. 6, 2007. I didn't submit a recommendation letter but I wish to do so now; is it too late? Thanks,
--Solomon
Posted on January 2, 2008 8:43 AM
Ebony -
Couple things. First, congratulations on your acceptance! Second, schools that have rolling admissions will read and notify students in the order that they are received. Third, I just want to mention that one can not always make a causal link between sending in an application early and receiving an acceptance. There are many factors that influence the admissions officers' decision on each student.
Posted on January 2, 2008 9:42 AM
Pauline -
You'll only know if you try!
Send in the Common App, worry about the rest later. Try to get the other materials in as soon as possible. Of course there are no promises when materials come in late, but as long as you get a food in the proverbial door by meeting the Common App deadline, you've got a good start.
Posted on January 2, 2008 9:46 AM
Solomon -
It depends on the school. I'd recommend calling the admissions office to ask because it may not be too late.
Posted on January 2, 2008 9:57 AM
Although I had known that all applications are reviewed at the same time, I had always gotten the notion that schools frown upon applications that were submitted the day before the deadline, and considered irresponsible/negligent. Is there such a hidden psychological factor as that?
Posted on January 6, 2008 5:49 PM
Hi...is it okay for me to be freaking out...for waiting to see if i got accpeted into my number one choice school....because i sent in my application the week after Thanksgiving...and all my backup colleges has accepted me...and i sent them after i had sent in my number one choice school....
Posted on January 22, 2008 5:19 PM