Wagner - late in application season

[tron]

Hi all,

I am considering applying to NYU Wagner's PNP program. This will be the only school I apply to, and I'd like to start as soon as possible -- i.e. in Fall 2011. I know it's late in the game, and I could go into a whole host of explanations for why I wasn't sure I wanted to apply earlier, why I am sure I want to apply now, and why I'd like to get started ASAP, but all this info would take a while to explain AND is pretty irrelevant to my main questions...

Which are:

1) How unlikely is it to gain admission to Wagner towards the end of the application cycle? Do applicants have a much stronger chance in the beginning of the cycle, or is a strong applicant a strong applicant no matter when he applies?

2) At what point does a Wagner student have to declare a concentration? I am torn between policy and management, and would ideally like to take some of the core classes before making my decision. Is this possible, or is it necessary for students to declare a concentration (and keep that concentration throughout the program) at the time of application?

Thanks very much!