Early app submission = advantage?

[cykolojee]

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Hi all,

Just wondering whether anyone knows whether applying prior to deadlines (for Clinical Psych PhD programs) gives applicants any advantages in the review process. Do programs generally look at apps as they come in, or wait until the deadline to begin sifting through everyone's materials?

For some types of grad programs, applying early is recommended/encouraged -- just wondering if this applies to Clinical Psych, as well.

 

[Psychadelic2012]

I highly, highly doubt it. They want you to apply early so that it's easier for them, but are they seriously going to give an application higher ranks (over a later arrival with better stats and fit) just because it came in early? No.

 

[Ollie123]

Can't speak for everywhere, but at my school it absolutely will not. Applications are pre-processed by admin and then forwarded to the department in a group. They generally won't even know when the application arrived, let alone care.

I think the places where it helps are generally places that offer rolling admissions...I'm not aware of any psychology grad program that does this.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Echoing the others, it does not give you an advantage at any program I've heard of -- they wait until the deadline and then start organizing stuff.

 

[thepug]

Hi all,

Just wondering whether anyone knows whether applying prior to deadlines (for Clinical Psych PhD programs) gives applicants any advantages in the review process. Do programs generally look at apps as they come in, or wait until the deadline to begin sifting through everyone's materials?

For some types of grad programs, applying early is recommended/encouraged -- just wondering if this applies to Clinical Psych, as well.

Actually it's just the opposite. The secretaries may lose your documents because they are coming in ahead of when they are ready to set everything up. A professor told me this one time.

Trust me, administrative errors happen ALL THE TIME. You want to apply later, October at the earliest.

 

[Psychology 76]

The only advantage I can think of is if they lose your materials, you have more time to resend them.

Though one of my LORs was lost and got there super late but I still got an interview so YMMV.

 

[PsychPhDone]

The only advantage I can think of is if they lose your materials, you have more time to resend them.

Though one of my LORs was lost and got there super late but I still got an interview so YMMV.

I definitely had problems with programs losing my materials, but I ended up getting interviews at those places, as well. 🙂 Once apps are submitted, I'd definitely recommend having a few extra transcripts and LORs at your disposal, as well as a few Priority Mail envelopes on hand.

 

[deadmau5]

well at least you get to relax while others frantically put things together at the last minute.