<p>ummm... as far as "potential" applicants being notified BEFORE they even apply... i THINK that some recruited athletes "apply" in september and are accepted in october and are flown out to stanford for a campus visit in october (all paid by stanford, of course). </p>
<p>(this is just what i hear from a few athletes, i dont know for sure, dont quote me on that, i dont know if they were exaggerating or not)</p>