The earlier you submit your application, the better the chances?

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I know for schools with rolling admission or priority deadlines, the earlier you submit your application the better. Say, if a school's deadline is January 1st, should one aim for early December because it will increase his chances?</p>

<p>I thought most schools' suggested date of December 15th was only for interviews and whatnot. But today a kid at school told me that it is pretty significant how early/late you send in your application. I normally wouldn't believe something like that, but this guy seems to have done some research.</p>

<p>Have any of you heard about this?</p>

<p>EDIT: I did just read a couple of threads kinda similar to this so sorry if it seems to overlap. I just didn't hear before that it was so important to turn it in early.</p>

<p>The only school that's ever said this to be true (that I've been too) is Carnegie Mellon. All the other schools I've seen deny this.</p>

<p>Except for rolling admission, and when an earlier submission may be required for scholarship consideration, it really does not make a difference. If schools with early January deadlines suggest doing it by December 15 that is usually for your own good and has nothing to do with favoritism to an earlier applicant. They know that applicants sometimes blow the deadline because they don't realize all that may be required and wait until last minute -- example: assume a January 1 deadline and the deadline also requires transcripts to be sent by that date; the procrastinator waits until December 30 to start and then realizes there is no one in his school, which is on break, who is avaialble to send an offical transcript. Another example: the student realizes he needs recommendation letters but comes to that realization the day after school lets out in mid-December for holiday break and the two teachers he would like recs from have left the country for holiday break.</p>