Prioritizing secondaries based on the 2 week rule vs. my own preferences?

[j_diggity]

Hey all, I'm running up against the 14-day mark at many schools, and am wondering how to prioritize. My instinct is to try and submit as many within the 2-week mark as possible, but there are a couple of schools, like my two state schools, that I am more interested in attending and where I feel I have a higher chance of being accepted. I find myself wanting to submit them earlier.

However, I currently have another week-ish to submit for the state schools and remain within the 2 week submission period.

If I prioritize the state schools for even one day, I will fall behind 2 weeks at ~10-12 schools (via domino effect). If I do them in order of receipt, I'll stay in the 2 week period at almost every school, but will submit at my state schools later than I envision, probably within the first or second week of August.

What do you think, focus on submitting in order or focus on submitting at my state schools?

PS - I do think that I am submitting quality secondaries. I'm not spewing out garbage just to meet deadlines. They are at least "good" responses, if not perfect.

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[Goro]

Prioritize based upon where you have the bast chance of getting an II. Thus, your state school should come first.

BTW, this isn't like getting asked to the prom and your date expecting you to respond withing 2 weeks.

Trying to flood our your apps all at one is asking for trouble.

Wise @gonnif, what say you?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Your preferences are fine if you have set your priorities on the schools that you really feel give you the best chance. The general rule for 1 or 2 weeks is a guideline for people who don't have a strategy or time management plan. Imagine applying to 60 schools without realizing the additional work or time you have to commit to get those apps done right.

Understand the "rules" are also set to acknowledge that adcoms make decisions to move your file from screening on a weekly basis, perhaps every 2 weeks to decide IIs. As @Goro points out, we don't wait for you.

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[j_diggity]

Do schools not look at your turnaround time as a gauge of your interest in the school or use that to make decisions about giving you an interview?

 

[cj_cregg]

I have never ever looked at somebody's secondary turnaround time to decide whether they should be interviewed. I don't think I even have access to that info as an app reviewer or when I interview candidates either. Obviously others may feel differently, and maybe there is something happening within the admissions office related to secondary turnaround time that I don't know about. Perhaps other schools do have a hard deadline. But, short of that, I wouldn't stress too much about the specifics. It's good to get them done in a timely manner to have your app ready for consideration as early as possible, and 2 weeks is a good guide, but I don't think submitting on day 7 vs day 13 vs day 18 is likely to significantly affect your interview chances.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do schools not look at your turnaround time as a gauge of your interest in the school or use that to make decisions about giving you an interview?

Turnaround time didn't matter for most of us, but in rolling admissions, you put yourself at a disadvantage depending on how long your delay is. Remember we line up completed applications for screening and then discussion for II. That probably takes 2 weeks at the quickest... once your file is complete.