<p>Admission web site encourages to apply, if at all possible, before Oct 15th.
What kind of dis-advantage is one at by applying on Oct 30 ?
TIA.</p>
<p>The SCEA application process is a very compressed 6 weeks. Harvard encourages students to apply before Oct 15th because it gives Admissions Officers more time to read everyone’s file. If you send in your application before October 15th, file readers are not as rushed – they have more time to linger over your essays and teacher recommendations. They have more time to consider the worthiness of your file and decide how they are going to present your case to the Admissions Committee. That said, if you need the extra time to keep working on your essays, your chances are not diminished if you apply at 11:59pm on October 30th. Admissions officers will just have less time to read over your file . . . and that could be a plus or minus, depending upon the depth and strength of your credentials. For the vast majority of students though . . . the time differential will not matter one bit in the admissions process.</p>
<p>H encourages the earlier date just for the reason gibby states. It also gives them more time to make sure all the supporting docs arrive in time to evaluate. But the Oct 30 deadline is acceptable and if you feel you need the extra time to polish off your app in order to submit the best possible package, I would encourage you to take it.</p>