<p>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>It depends on the college. some say Dec. 31, others Jan. 1 Anyway, this year, Jan. 1 is a Sunday, there is no mail collection on sundays. Check the websites of individual colleges.</p>
<p>Interesting question: Jan. 1 is always a holiday. The Post Office is always closed on that day. No pickup or delivery. I believe that when a Federally observered holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is also considered a holiday (just checked the Post Office website and it confirms that Jan. 2nd is a "holiday" for Postal workers). The earliest that anyone get mail (after tomorrow) would be Jan. 3rd.</p>
<p>Logically, a due date for mail can't be on a day when the Post Office is closed for business. To be absolutely safe, I would get your letter stamped tomorrow at the Post Office (Dec. 31st.). </p>
<p>A thought: If an application is actually "due" by December 31st. (actually in someone's hand), you're "dead". If your letter or application must be postmarked Dec. 31st. (as in the April 15th. deadline for your Federal Tax return), you'd better pull an "all-nighter" to finish your letter and drive to the local Post Office to have it stamped with the date. </p>
<p>Again, read the school's website very carefully...</p>
<p>What about online submissions?</p>
<p>Re online submissions: I'm guessing it would be midnight relative to the school's time zone. If the school is located on the East Coast and you're on the West Coast, there's a three hour difference. It would be 9:00PM on the West Coast, Midnight on the East Coast. Submit accordingly...</p>
<p>In such a case, 1 January being a holiday every year, I would get the items postmarked by the last post office day before the 31st. Online submissions of course can go in any day of the year, but it's not expedient to wait for the last possible day.</p>