<p>Harvard and Princeton encourage everyone to submit by Dec 1 and 15 respectively. Would it help the chances of those who do?</p>
<p>What if I don't? I'd like to have as much time to work on my app as possible, and one month could make ALOT of difference. would it hurt me if I submit on Jan 1 11:59pm?</p>
<p>It always helps to do what they say they prefer. They have a reason for their preferences.</p>
<p>How much it may hurt, I can't say. You take a risk either way.</p>
<p>I think if it helps, then I'll just re-use my Yale app for my Harvard app, don't see what I could customize for Harvard.</p>
<p>Any other opinions? Is anyone sticking to the preferred deadlines?</p>
<p>As soon as possible. Don't submit it by December 15th if it's not completed. However, I suggest you do anything you can to have it ready, complete, and as perfect as it can be by then. I actually discussed this with an admissions officer, he said those late applications go straight to the bottom of the pile. That's one place you don't want your application to be, if you actually want to go to those schools, my friend.</p>
<p>haha, but what if say on the December 16th you get a BRILLIANT essay idea? thats what I'm always worried about. At least if that heppens on Jan 2nd, you can't help it, but if it's due to a choice you made to submit on Dec 15, then you're really gonna regret it.</p>
<p>cracked nugget - The op is not talking about late apps. For instance - from the princeton site:
December 15: We encourage students to submit their portion of the application by this date, if possible.<br>
January 1: Final deadline for admission application postmark or electronic submission. (December and January SAT/ACT scores may arrive after the deadline.) </p>
<p>I say a deadline is a deadline, and it will be nice for them, but I doubt they will hold it against you. If they insisted it would be there by the 15th, then they would make it the 15th.</p>
<p>screwitlah, you will virtually always get another brilliant idea after you hit the submit button. That's just the way that the human brain works. Just like clever retorts to arguments or insults - you think of them several hours later. If you wait until something is perfect, and then hold on to it even longer "just in case", you'll never get anything done.</p>
<p>Finish the application. If you're happy with it the way it is, without considering that maybe you'll think of something better later, hit Submit and move on.</p>
<p>And I still believe that if they "prefer" a deadline, even if not carved in stone, it is better to meet that preference if you can. They have a reason for the preference, and I cannot believe that they completely ignore it.</p>
<p>Hey everyone, the deadline's approaching. Anyone submitting by Dec 1 to Harvard?</p>
<p>I am. I'm not going to flip out if I can't, though.</p>
<p>ducktape, are you applying to princeton as well? how much advantage do you think there would be by the preferred deadlines>?</p>
<p>Yup. The only Ivies I'm applying to are H and P. I don't think there'll be much of an advantage except for that applications are reviewed in the order in which they're received, so whoever's reading my application will have less incredible people to compare it with. That's the only possible advantage I can think of.</p>
<p>cool :P your stats are pretty amazing, so I hope you get into MIT EA, haha.</p>
<p>what if I submit on dec 2, or dec 3? do you guys think I'd still get acknowledged for helping with their workload, etc.?</p>
<p>If nothing else, it'll help in the sense that you won't be in the horde of applications coming in on January 1.</p>
<p>And thanks, I hope I get into MIT EA, too. :) I'm afraid that the only thing setting me apart, though, is my athletic recruitment tag. It would by far beat any Christmas present ever. A UChicago acceptance would be nice, too.</p>
<p>I'm really trying not to think about decisions until the moment of. It's not working too well.</p>
<p>Yes, I know exactly how you feel. I'm not particularly hopeful for my Yale EA either, but I'm just hoping against hope for three reasons: I really love Yale, it'd be a SPECTACULAR christmas present and I'd save another three months of worrying next year.</p>
<p>My son got his app in at his ea school a good 10 days before the deadline. I know for a fact they didnt start opening the envelopes until after the deadline. </p>
<p>We put postcards in all his teacher recs. It is odd to see when they come in.
For any particular recomender (he has 4), there have been as much as a month difference in the first postcard and the last (and counting). I think that means that a lot of envelopes spend a lot of time unopened. </p>
<p>Of course, I am sure a lot of schools do start opening them up, and sorting them, as soon as they get them. All schools are going to do things different, but I am guessing that the early phases of sorting and making sure everything is there is quite time consuming, along with the early read throughs of the apps. They would like the apps to come in early, to make the first step easier on the admissions office. I am guessing that as the apps move through the system, they converge in time. Maybe there is something in your file that shows when the app was received or maybe not, but there is so much info within the app that I doubt those that make decisions will cull for additional info about you based on when you got the app in (as long as it is on time). </p>
<p>As I said, I have no real idea what exactly happens, nor do I think it is the same for any school, but I am trying to add some common sense.</p>
<p>I believe (but can't prove) that earlier apps get looked at earlier (even if it is just to see if they are EA, ED, or RD). People are human, if there the app is interesting in some way (great scores, grades, unique EC) they will get flagged even for RD down the road. This gives you a better chance before the rush is on, and they are just putting stuff in piles and starting the actual evaluations. It also makes their life easier. I do know for a fact that for special skills kids (e.g., athletes), that coaches often want the apps in as early as possible.</p>
<p>so basically it IS slightly better to submit as early as possible.</p>
<p>what I'm wondering is, would it be just as good for my chances if i submit on dec 2 or 3 instead of dec 1? harvard only stated dec 1 as their preferred deadline - would I still get the same treatment and recognition if I submit a day or two later? I don't believe they don't note down the submission dates when they constantly remind us to submit by Dec 1 if possible. It seems like a big thing to them.</p>
<p>bump... and is anyone else submitting by Dec 1 too?</p>
<p>bump bump?</p>
<p>Yeah I just sent out my Harvard stuff fairly recently, I have to get working on Princeton though. I agree that I think its better if you submit by any recommendation time. This will also improve your chances of landing an interview.</p>