<p>Would it put me at an advantage if I apply to a school w/ Jan. 1 deadline long before the date (like.. NOW?)</p>
<p>Especially if the school, based on previous records, accepts only 1-2 from your school?</p>
<p>Apply well before the last minute because too much can go wrong at the last minute. Applying earlier gives you a better chance to make sure everything that should be there actually is.</p>
<p>What I’ve heard is that they usually review all the applications over the same time period (unless they’re on rolling admissions), but they’ll sometimes take note of the date the application was sent in, and students who submit a little early are looked on more favorably (by a tiny margin). But it’s not going to make or break your application, and I don’t think submitting six weeks before the deadline will help you more than two or three weeks would.</p>
<p>" but they’ll sometimes take note of the date the application was sent in, and students who submit a little early are looked on more favorably (by a tiny margin)."</p>
<p>LOL, one would like to think so! Straw grasping here.</p>
<p>Your file isn’t looked at until every required item is filed, including the items you’re not responsible for (teacher recs, transcript, scores, etc.). If they make your file by the third week of Feb, guess what? Your file’s not read for 3 months.</p>