<p>Anybody else getting this? Harvard keeps emailing me about how they see I am interested in applying to Harvard and encourages me to send it before Dec 1. </p>
<p>The email says "We would like to remind you that early submission of
our forms provides more time for the evaluation of your credentials" </p>
<p>How true is this statement? Does it imply that I'm at an advantage if I send it in early because they will read it more carefully? Or are they just saying this to get applications in earlier?</p>
<p>One advantage of sending the very first part of your application in early (the part that provides your contact information), is that Harvard can contact you sooner for an interview. Harvard representatives have been saying this since at least the Exploring College Options joint programs in May 2007. They would like to get some of the applications in earlier, just so that not all the work of lining up interviews and checking application files for completeness piles up in the first week of January.</p>
<p>harvard's printed app says that one is not at a disadvantage at all if one DOESN'T get it in till Jan 1. They appear to be trying to have it both ways, but that's only to be expected - it does help them spread the workload if apps are spread out somewhat.</p>
<p>I've only received one such email. This is just a conjecture, but perhaps their adcoms will be able to spend a little more time on your application if it's in and completed before the huge overload of January 1st.</p>
<p>is it okay to send just the contact info even if the rest of my app will take a little longer to complete?? (i apologize if this is a stupid question but i have no one else to ask; my college counselor knows nothing about applying to college outside of puerto rico)</p>
<p>My senior year grades would be a boost to my application, but my first semester doesn't end until mid-January. If I submitted my application early, would I disadvantage myself since they wouldn't see my first semester grades?</p>
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is it okay to send just the contact info even if the rest of my app will take a little longer to complete?
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<p>That is definitely okay. That has been specifically said by Harvard admission officers in public meetings. That allows spreading out the interviews, which is the biggest time crunch, since the interviewers are alumni volunteers with busy schedules.</p>
<p>tdn, you definitely should wait. This is not an early app round, and the extremely tiny advantage of being read early while the adcoms are fresh is totally outweighed in your case, since your later grades will boost your profile. Don't hurrry it up - you want the best case for yourself.</p>
<p>I sent in my common app like a month ago, because they sent me an email asking me to do so, and I was done with it so I didn't see the harm. Does anyone know whether they will start evaluating my commonapp without my supplement and school forms on Dec 1st? I dunno if I'll be able to send everything in by then, but I don't want them to read my application in bits and peices...</p>
<p>I think that submitting the applications earlier than the deadline, if they're truly as complete as they will be, confers several advantages: time to focus back on school and extracurriculars, more time to enjoy senior year, and maybe a more nuanced review by adcoms (and an appreciation by them of your organizational skills!). The biggest disadvantage, I think, is in the extra weeks of stressful waiting!</p>