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Really, really dumb question time, but I just want to be 100% sure so I don't screw myself over -- but say an application deadline is March 1st -- does that mean you can theoretically submit the application on, say, February 28th? I know CAS has to send the schools you apply to your transcript, LSAT scores, LOR's, etc. -- so in other words, is it ok if the school doesn't have the CAS report by the deadline as long as you have submitted your application and they have processed it by the deadline? Or do they need to have everything, including the CAS report, by March 1st in order for you to technically have reached the deadline? I am assuming as long as you hit submit, it's ok if they get the CAS report a little later, but again, just wanted to clarify to ease any anxiety... at the risk of sounding like a moron.

Most folks on this site submit apps early so I don't know how much experience people have with this issue.

I'd suggest at a minimum get them in a few days before the deadline to prevent this from being a problem. If you are totally committed to waiting till the last day, I'd suggest calling the schools and asking them.

Hi OP, as a last minute applicant myself (I applied to a series of schools whose deadlines were Feb 1 on Feb 1) I will say that if the deadline date is Mar 1, then you can absolutely submit Feb 28, or even on Mar 1 itself. Additionally, when I submitted Feb 1, which also happened to be a Sunday, everything was processed and received that day according to my status checkers, and they have since gone complete and under review with no delay. Good luck!

This will vary by school, but generally speaking the deadline you see is an application deadline, not a complete deadline. Simply pressing "submit" by 11:59:59 the day of the deadline will make you technically "on time". Again, this is assuming the school doesn't specifically state a "completion" deadline. For example, our Early Decision deadline is Nov. 1, but we also have a completion deadline of Nov. 10 meaning if we don't have everything by Nov. 10 (usually that means an Oct. LSAT score) then it's "late".

As others alluded to, this isn't a problem you should have to worry about because no one should be waiting for the last minute to apply.

Dean Perez
Texas Tech Law

To be honest, I am surprised this is a question. Didn't everyone get a huge slew of emails on January 31st (one more day to apply) and February 1st (last day to apply) from their long list of TTT schools.