Applying in September vs. October - Any Advantage? Forum

[brownpride]

I'm planning to submit my apps as early as possible to the T-14, but I'm wondering if it makes any difference at all if I submit say September 1 as opposed to October 1. Will this confer any advantage whatsoever on me, or will they not look at the applications until October anyways?

[ladybug89]

I don't know if you'll get an advantage but it would certainly speed along the process (in part because so few people submit in September). HLS for example started sending out JR1s (preliminary interviews for shortlisted people) by the first week of october last cycle.
not sure what other schools do, but i can't imagine they would wait to read apps when it's easier to spread out the work out by reading the early ones early.
still, your app shouldn't be early at the expense of being good.

[ahduth]

No advantage.

[sanetruth]

I don't think you can say there is no advantage across the board. Some schools say that they don't start looking at apps until november, but that when they do they are in the order that they were received and completed. Other schools will start sending out acceptances in late september, so clearly there is an advantage there as well.

However the vast majority of schools don't organize the apps or look at them until November, so I think the smart thing to do is find out which schools you are applying to look at apps early or at least in the order they were received, send those in, and then spend the time inbetween working on the other apps.

lastly, consensus is that if you're a splitter, just send it in ASAP don't ask questions.

[rinkrat19]

There might be a slight advantage at some schools just depending on when they start reviewing files, but either way, your app will be near the top of the first pile they're reading.

[Strange]

If you apply in early November are you at a disadvantage? My professors need a PS to do their letters of rec and I can't work on that till I'm done with the LSAT. I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I can't find anything on it

[rinkrat19]

If you apply in early November are you at a disadvantage? My professors need a PS to do their letters of rec and I can't work on that till I'm done with the LSAT. I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I can't find anything on it

Before Halloween (Oct. LSAT results) = really early
Before Thanksgiving = still early
Before Christmas = as late as you probably want to be
After Christmas = late
At the deadline = wait a year, you idiot

[Strange]

If you apply in early November are you at a disadvantage? My professors need a PS to do their letters of rec and I can't work on that till I'm done with the LSAT. I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I can't find anything on it

Before Halloween (Oct. LSAT results) = really early
Before Thanksgiving = still early
Before Christmas = as late as you probably want to be
After Christmas = late
At the deadline = wait a year, you idiot

Awesome, thanks!

[Hawkeye Pierce]

The only advantage is if you're Duke PT and want to hear back Sep 15 instead of Oct 15.

Just apply before the Oct LSAT scores come out.

[Dany]

If you apply in early November are you at a disadvantage? My professors need a PS to do their letters of rec and I can't work on that till I'm done with the LSAT. I'm sure this has been asked a million times but I can't find anything on it

Nope. I applied to most schools November 1-2, and was still in the first batch of decisions for a lot of schools (Chicago, NYU, Cornell, etc.)