when is the best time to start applying??

[ah233]

Heyy..guys ,,,,so when is the best time to start the grad apps ...I will be applying for Chemistry grad schools for Fall 2012..and I have my GRE/TOEFL scores..except the Sub GRE [ will be sitting for that exam on Nov 12] .....

[Immuno]

I would go ahead and get your applications in as soon as possible. For some programs, the earlier the better because your application will be reviewed before those that apply later. For other programs, I don't think timing really matters as long as you meet the deadlines, but what could it hurt to go ahead and get it done? I'm also applying for Fall 2012. I've completed 2 of my 4 applications.

[Kitkat]

I think that Immuno has the right idea. Better sooner rather then later. It gives you more time to go over it and not make any mistakes and you're not trying to do it in a panicked rush if you are trying to do it later. But it also depends on when any of your programs let you start doing the applications and all. I know that some of my programs don't open the applications online until later this fall.

As a side note to what you said about the sub GRE, when are your applications due? I ask because I am wondering if you will have enough time for those scores to get to the programs that they need to. It might not be a huge issue if they are in Jan., but I know that some have earlier ones as well. I have one of mine due beginning of December for funding, and another one due mid December.

[ah233]

yeah..regarding this sub gre thing .....I have decided to app to confirm 5 [ if possible 6 ....but its difficult] ......following are the 6 universities I have planned to apply :

U Texas Austin - 1st Jan , UBC - Feb 1 , Univ of Rochester - 15th Jan , U Missouri + Clemson Univ - march 1 ( lets take dat as Feb 1st) , Colorado state univ - not mentioned .....

so shall i scrap UT Austin ?? ....it seems to be dangerously on the border line ...

Edited August 11, 2011 by ah233

[Kitkat]

yeah..regarding this sub gre thing .....I have decided to app to confirm 5 [ if possible 6 ....but its difficult] ......following are the 6 universities I have planned to apply :

U Texas Austin - 1st Jan , UBC - Feb 1 , Univ of Rochester - 15th Jan , U Missouri + Clemson Univ - march 1 ( lets take dat as Feb 1st) , Colorado state univ - not mentioned .....

so shall i scrap UT Austin ?? ....it seems to be dangerously on the border line ...

Well is the sub GRE required for the application or only recommended? And are you using it to strengthen a weak application or a strong one? You don't necessarily have to scrap it, as long as that one is one of the ones you have ETS send out ASAP. It would be close and you have to make sure that you stay on top of it and keep track to see if the school gets it in time. If it is only recommended, and you have a good application even without it, I wouldn't even worry if it didn't get there before the deadline, as long as everything that is required is there on time. Then if it comes in, they will still consider it, and all it will do is add something extra to your application.

[ah233]

well for UT Austin it is not required ( but 4 int. apps it is must - unofficially though ) ..and sub GRE is quite imp. to strengthen apps ....

[Immuno]

The way I look at it, it's better to attempt more and not meet one or two deadlines than to never try at all. The only time I would say this is not true is if applying to more programs ended up making you have many slightly weak applications versus a few very strong ones. This isn't your case since you have plenty of time if you start now.

[Triple Tall Cappuccino]

I always believe that the earlier you start, the better it looks! Admissions will definitely perceive you as a candidate that has his/her stuff together!

Good luck!

[butterfingers2010]

I think it depends on the school, because each adcomm has it's own policy. Some schools will not even look at applications until a certain designated date, regardless of when they received the applications. On the other extreme some schools have "rolling admissions" and look at applications as soon as they receive them and make a relatively quick decision, filling spots until all the spots are filled for that year. I would say that generally speaking you should take your time, within reason. Definitely get in your applications before the due date, but don't rush into it because you want to present the best application that you are capable of. Submitting your applications early to show the school that you "have your stuff together" will not matter if your application is not high quality because you didn't put in enough time. Work diligently, be prompt, but make sure you cross your t's and dot your i's before you click "submit."

[juilletmercredi]

I always believe that the earlier you start, the better it looks! Admissions will definitely perceive you as a candidate that has his/her stuff together!

Not necessarily. The admission committee may not even know when you submitted your application because the departmental secretary usually gets it. If it's a deadline school, the adcom may not even get it until after the deadline anyway. If it's a rolling admissions school, they probably get them in batches.

[surefire]

Not necessarily. The admission committee may not even know when you submitted your application because the departmental secretary usually gets it. If it's a deadline school, the adcom may not even get it until after the deadline anyway. If it's a rolling admissions school, they probably get them in batches.

Definitely a good point. I was a student representative on the admissions committee for my MA program and I have to say, none of us doing the ranking laid eyes on the apps until a week after the deadline (generally, that gave a grace period for incoming transcripts/reference letters; you know, stuff that might be beyond the student's control). There was nothing to indicate whether an app was submitted early or close to the deadline, we only knew which ones came in late/incomplete (these were generally substantiated by a student's explanation). What WAS apparent, was how much time was spent on an app. The first ones we culled, after non-competitive stats (that had no explanation) were often ones that were obvious lazy form applications (no tailoring to program/discipline or attempt to articulate "fit") or obviously rushed (that, by turn, contained glaring mistakes, nonsensical SOPs, conflicting information and straight-up carelessness).

My advice, then, is to balance considerations of the way in which you work best with a need to spend an adequate amount of time committed to writing and reflecting and editing your app. For myself, I like to hang on to applications until the deadline is looming, but not urgent. This means that I do the major drafting early on, so I'm usually just fussing with small things towards the end; this helps me keep my sanity and reflects the way that I work best. If I submitted early, I would spend the rest of the time before the deadline wishing that I hadn't as I would think of a million things that I might've done differently. I don't really get the "big sigh of relief" when I submit, I get it when the deadline passes and I know that now, certainly, it is all totally out of my hands.

With all that in mind, two things:

(1) This is just a reflection of my experience. I'm not familiar with the admission committees of other disciplines (indeed, it would certainly be different if acceptances were "on a rolling basis", I've just never encountered this.)

(2) If you "work best" when you need to be in a particular mood, and that mood is "last-minute panic", I would suggest rethinking your strategy. To clarify my previous point, I like to come in close to the deadline, but not last minute. If you're going to hang-on-to-it-for-as-long-as-humanely-possible (like me), you should always aim for a submission of a week-ish prior to the deadline in case something goes wrong. I promise you, the one time you try to come in under the wire, murphy's law will strike you down with a postal strike or something equally calamitous!

Edited October 5, 2011 by surefire