how late is still early enough?

[papajohns]

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Hello--
I am in the process of applying to a categorical surgery residency position, but I am not quite finished with my personal statement or entering the rest of my experiences. Also, NONE of my letters of recommendation have been downloaded into ERAS yet by my school. I am anticipating that I will be able to get my application done in the next week or two, but I wanted to see what the opinion on when is considered "late". Is there bonus points for submitting on the first day or within the first week? Is it like medical school where the spots for interviews are filled quickly? Thanks for any input!

 

[Winged Scapula]

There is no hard and fast answer.

It is true that some programs may offer interview spots early but they are unlikely to offer all the spots in the first couple of weeks. Others may not even start to look at applications until October. Remember application committees meet at varying times; there is no one way to do it that every program uses.

I would venture a "late" application would be any application after early to mid October given the November 1 deadline (October 15 for a few places).

You do not need to wait until your letters are uploaded to ERAS to apply, but its unlikely that waiting a week or two to finish your PS and other stuff will make a significant difference.