Going along with what @sbjdorlo said, at our public school it’s recommended that all applications be finished by Dec 1st with just rare exceptions (or community college) for after that. Even if colleges accept applications until a later date, many have given away their merit money (scholarship deadlines often come much earlier) and rolling school admissions can be more difficult if they’ve already accepted close to their quota.
A quick google search says Pepperdine’s acceptance rate is only 38% and your stats are in the lower half, then add a later application without a lot to back up your educational foundation. It’s not an automatic rejection, but I wouldn’t put the odds very high to consider it a match. It’s a reach.
You cant submit any applications past the deadline. Are you saying that even before late December an application is late for consideration ? As that’s when I will have completed testing and essays?
And I have already registered for my interviews including one with Clark.
@soke876 Yes, at some schools (not necessarily all), submitting an application closer to their deadline date makes it more difficult to get accepted. They still accept applications until the date they set, but they don’t have to wait until all applications are in to start reading them and deciding who to offer spots to. Most, if not all, selective colleges have a set number they plan to accept. When it’s reached, it’s reached. As they get closer to reaching it they are pickier about who gets accepted since there aren’t unlimited numbers of spots. Others they like can be put on a waitlist. Some schools pull a fair number from their waitlist and some pull none or a small handful.
Otherwise, many scholarship deadlines are before actual application deadlines. If you are hoping for merit money it’s important to pay attention to those dates pretty carefully.
I just googled Clark. Since they accept 55% of their applicants a later application there is likely to do better than Pepperdine, but I’d still advise a student to get theirs in as early as they can.
With SAT scores of 1210-1410 for their 25%/75%, your current 1220 still makes them a definite reach school for you. That could change if your score improves significantly, of course.
ETA: Definitely do the interviews at schools. It gives them a chance to meet you and see that you are more than scores…