When to send/request transcripts?

[historygeek]

When should I request that my transcripts be sent to the schools I'm applying to? I'm hoping to get everything in by Thanksgiving if possible. I know it's a bit early, but my school's registrar office is notoriously slow. 

[Elephas]

You should start by checking when each school requests transcripts be sent (perhaps after acceptance). After finding out those dates I would have them sent at least 3 weeks in advance of that deadline to ensure there is time not only for them to arrive but for the grad school to see them and process them. Finally I would recommend that you check with the graduate admissions office to see what kind of transcripts they accept (i.e. physical vs online) and make sure you send the right format. I had one school say they accept online but they later said only via xyz software which my undergrad school didn't use so I ended up having to resend a physical copy.