This question goes out to everyone but particularly to anyone who understands the admissions process really well at top tier schools: since the application for ED/EA opens on August 1st in most schools, is there any benefit (regardless how little) to apply really quickly after the application is open (assuming an individual works on the application over the summer and gets everything ready perfectly)? I know that for rolling admissions it’s generally good to apply asap, but this question is specifically about Early Action or Decision, with a set deadline of usually Nov 1st.
No… there really isn’t any benefit. It will just make your GC and teachers doing recs annoyed to be asked to do something in the summer, too (as your app is not complete until they do their pieces). On top of that, maybe you will have accomplishments in the fall that you want to include (ECs, etc. in the Sept/Oct timeframe). Certainly you can work on essays in the summer, and get your list of activities & awards fine tuned so the app is ready to go. And proof read… multiple times. Don’t wait til the last day to apply (sometimes the Common App goes down on busy days, or things like natural disasters intervene – Hurricane Sandy hit right at a key submission deadline a couple years ago!).
^^^^Agreed, there is no benefit to applying early for EA/ED. In addition, many high schools are not even in a position to get recommendations/transcripts out until sometime in October. But as noted above, it is always good to leave a bit of leeway and not wait until the last possible second to get the application in…
Not all schools report quarter grades (our HS does not report them until the semester break to colleges, although students can see the quarter grades). But in some cases I guess they might.
There’s no harm in getting your part of the Common app finished in the summer. It’s best to give the teachers and GC lots of lead time for their references too. The longer into the school year you wait, the busier they will be.