Is it advisable to wait for your Fall 2013 semester grades before applying?

[voltimand]

Hi,

 

I am applying to grad schools at the end of the year and am curious when it is most advisable to apply.

 

Some places -- such as Chicago and Stanford -- place their application deadline in the beginning of December. (I recognize that they haven't posted their deadlines for this year, but let's assume that they are in this same time-frame for the upcoming admissions period).

 

Some other places -- such as Oxford and Brown -- place their application deadline in the beginning of January.

 

For me, at least, I can submit my Fall 2013 semester grades (which would mean I'd have, in my application, grades for every semester but my last) to Brown and Oxford, but not Chicago and Stanford, since I generally only receive grades for the fall semesters in early January.

 

Now, I am interested in whether it makes a notable difference in one's application, if one has included the fall semester grades too.

 

The problem is that for, say, Oxford, I believe I could submit an application with my Fall 2013 semester grades.... but, I'd be really pushing it. The deadline for the upcoming application period at Oxford is January 10th (you can check the website!), and while I'd have my Fall 2013 semester grades by then, I'd be really pushing it.

 

The thing is that I would really get a lot of peace of mind from completing all my applications before Christmas, and would like to ring in the New Year's in ways other than being anxious about applications.

 

Perhaps now you can see the concern I am having: if I opt to get some peace of mind and complete applications early (without my Fall 2013 semester grades -- for my application anywhere), do I suffer some disadvantage in my application?

 

Note as well that Oxford is my dream school and I'd be disappointed if my decision really hurt me!
 

Thanks a lot.

[TakeruK]

You don't have to submit your Fall 2013 grades unless the application specifically says so. I think it's unlikely that one semester's worth of grades will have a significant effect on your GPA and many transcripts will show courses "in progress" so that they will know the titles of the courses you are taking in Fall 2013 (and perhaps even Spring/Winter 2014). If you think, for some reason, that your Fall 2013 grades will be very different than your current grades, then it might be a good idea to wait until you get those grades on your transcript! But if not, then don't worry about it and just submit your stuff before the holidays.

[philstudent1991]

And of course, it depends on what those grades are whether it is better to include your first semester of senior year grades or not.

[voltimand]

Thanks very much for the replies! Really appreciated 'em.

 

One thing I didn't anticipate until recently was just how the preparation of applications would work against my peace of mind and would really make me anxious.

 

Knowing now that I can get over with it sooner than later has helped tremendously. Thanks!

[philstudent1991]

Well try to remember, worrying about it accomplishes nothing, and if anything just hurts you by being distracting. So try not to worry

[voltimand]

Thank you :)

[thelonious23]

The anxiety is killer, I know. Do the applications as soon as possible and then try to forget them. Do something nice for yourself over Christmas. 

 

Your final semester grades shouldn't matter. Submit what you have. Schools that accept you will generally ask for a new transcript anyway.