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do only applicants with stellar (174+/3.9+) get jr1s in the first batch of apps?

if im 171/3.87 what are my chances of getting a jr1 early on if i apply day one of the cycle? my chances generally?

I feel like I'm following you around, but:

The first major batch of acceptances is usually right before Thanksgiving weekend, and jr1s tend to happen in the few weeks leading up to that.

It is unlikely that a non-URM candidate below both medians would get a jr1 -> acceptance that early--your more likely to get in late--but that'll depend on somewhat on your application. Unlike Yale, where the early acceptances skip a part of the application process (faculty review) because they are extremely qualified, at Harvard it is normal rolling admissions.

By when would you want your application to go complete in order to have a shot at getting one of these first-round JR1s?

Not sure on the exact dates but I scanned a fair number of last cycle's LSN thanksgiving admits and all 10-12 I looked at had SENT dates before November or on Nov 1st. There were a few October 31 sends, and at least on Nov 1st, with a 11/23 acceptance, but couldn't find any with later Nov sends. So get it in before November sounds like what is required.