<p>Quite a few colleges have their deadlines on January 1st for college applications (understatement). One would believe that it is perfectly acceptable to submit their common application anytime before 11:59 PM on January 1st; however, due to processing time delays, the actual application might not get processed by colleges in time. Does this mean that applications sent in near--yet before--the deadline, are null and void? More specifically, if I were to click submit on my common application tomorrow, a day before the deadline, would it still count?</p>
<p>"Does this mean that applications sent in near–yet before–the deadline, are null and void? "</p>
<p>Colleges spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get you to apply. Then they turn around and secretly dig a pit in the road to their house? Just so they can delete/ignore/shred your application.</p>
<p>That’s pretty </p>
<p>inane</p>
<p>If anything I think it’s the opposite. A lot of colleges extend their deadlines a few days after their stated deadline, or so I’ve seen from the emails. Also they’re really not as strict on the exact time you submit your app as you may think.</p>
<p>That’s what I would prefer to think. When I inquired an admissions officer about it, all she told me was that the college needed to receive the application before the deadline.</p>
<p>EDIT: While I’m not an expert on this, I do believe that there is a difference (sometimes in the amount of entire days) between the time I click submit and the time my application got to the university.</p>
<p>Then why ask the question? I’m with @mineO3O. By all means, you submit before your secret deadline. It certainly won’t hurt.</p>
<p>Your images of the “delete” t r o l l s at the dimly lit college admissions office at midnight is a funny one to imagine however. Just like they take all the documents with a postmark anytime past Jan 1st and toss them in a huge bonfire?</p>
<p>Both my kids submitted their apps within hours (in some cases minutes, or even after, given last years common app debacle) of the deadline. They were both accepted at most of their schools. </p>
<p>I am asking the question because I am curious and would like to clarify a point of confusion.
I am asking the question because I am mature enough to understand that what I think would be reasonable to happen and what actually does happen are not always the same thing.
I am asking the question because I would like an answer.</p>
<p>I know that admissions officers are willing to accept additional application materials such as transcripts, test scores, and recommendation letters after the deadline.
I know that there is a time delay between submitting the application and universities receiving the application.
I know that, when I asked an admissions officer the question, she gave me a vague answer.
I know that you are being sarcastic, but please know that I am sorry to having to inconvenience you with such an inane question.</p>
<p>What I do not know is if it is okay to submit my application right before the deadline.</p>
<p>Thank you donnaleighg! That is really reassuring. I hope they are doing well and having fun in college!</p>
<p>Your application is time stamped when you submit it. Most colleges won’t actually download the application until a day or two later, so yes, there’s a delay, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what time YOU click the submit button.</p>
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<p>Of course if you submit BEFORE the deadline, it still counts. It’s far better to apply earlier than AT the deadline in case something goes awry (e.g., local power outage, some wonky goes wrong with the Common App submission, etc.)</p>