Best time to submit - is it REALLY ASAP? Forum

[timfa]

I have heard that the best time to submit an app for law school is 3-4 weeks after the application first goes live--that way your app doesnt come in at the same time as all the guys with 180's who have been preparing forever. any thoughts on this? I sort of buy it.

[Samara]

As long as you submit your app before Thanksgiving, you're early. There's no difference between Sept 1, Oct 1 or Nov 1. Most schools don't even start making decisions until December.

[Swimp]

Yeah, my understanding is that you just want to get your app in before the admissions officers start the first round of perusals. If you submit an application in September, it's unlikely that anyone is even going to look at it until november anyway.

[2014]

I've never heard that you should wait to avoid the gunner competitive apps, that's interesting though. The best reason to wait though is that a ton of fee waivers go out throughout October so you stand to potentially save a lot of money if you can convince yourself to wait until the end of Oct.

[JamMasterJ]

I've never heard that you should wait to avoid the gunner competitive apps, that's interesting though. The best reason to wait though is that a ton of fee waivers go out throughout October so you stand to potentially save a lot of money if you can convince yourself to wait until the end of Oct.

IMO this is the only reason worth waiting. They aren't going to compare you to the 180 gunner applicants. There standards are somewhat set before the applications even start coming. They really only start comparing you to other people late in the cycle.

[AntipodeanPhil]

As long as you submit your app before Thanksgiving, you're early. There's no difference between Sept 1, Oct 1 or Nov 1. Most schools don't even start making decisions until December.

+1

I submitted some of my apps super early last year, ended up waiting a few months for decisions, and got decisions at the same time as people who submitted weeks after me.

I would aim to get your apps in before the autumn LSAT exam results come out - a lot of people apply around then.

[cahwc12]

As long as you submit your app before Thanksgiving, you're early. There's no difference between Sept 1, Oct 1 or Nov 1. Most schools don't even start making decisions until December.

I plan to retake in October. How much "app work" should I do before I write for my retake? Should I focus all of my brainpower on crushing on retake, or should I have stuff in place to have a timely application once I get my score?

How long does it take to do this process? I'm naive to the whole thing. (sorry to hijack)

[Samara]

As long as you submit your app before Thanksgiving, you're early. There's no difference between Sept 1, Oct 1 or Nov 1. Most schools don't even start making decisions until December.

I plan to retake in October. How much "app work" should I do before I write for my retake? Should I focus all of my brainpower on crushing on retake, or should I have stuff in place to have a timely application once I get my score?

How long does it take to do this process? I'm naive to the whole thing. (sorry to hijack)

Start working on LORs right away because sometimes those can take a while. I would start working on your PS now so that you can go through multiple drafts at a leisurely pace. That will give you time to think about it and end up with a great essay. The rest you can do while waiting for your scores. It doesn't take all that long to do the other stuff.