Rolling apps?

[NYCPsych]

---

Members don't see this ad.

It seems like most clinical programs require things in by Jan 1, Feb 1, etc. But, isn't it kind of a rolling process? ie Isn't there an advantage sending things in early? Or, do programs wait to review all apps after the due date? Just wondering, as my friends applying to med school really stress getting everything in early.

 

[RayneeDeigh]

Feb 1st is a REALLY late deadline, most deadlines are going to be between December 1st and January 15th.

I know PGSP has a rolling deadline, but as far as I know (and from what my undergrad advisor has told me about her process), most university programs are definitely not rolling admissions. They collect all the applications, then they sit down and look at the ones that meet their GPA/GRE cutoffs, etc. I'm not even sure if they indicate the date on which they receive your application unless it's after the deadline.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

95%+ of APA-accredited clinical psych programs have a hard deadline, like RD said...ranging from Dec 1st to Jan 15th. The reason for this is that there is a whole process that goes along with applying, and when spots are offered, they don't want people 'holding' and waiting for other spots, because that screws up the process. So to address that issue, they have relative 'standard' times to do things, listed HERE.

-t

 

[NYCPsych]

hi everyone, thanks for the quick responses. i definitely plan to have things in at least a few weeks before deadlines... was just wondering if there were any advantage completing apps in ~oct/nov, i guess.

 

[Ollie123]

No real tangible advantage regarding admission. It will save your sanity to get at least some done in advance, and it certainly won't hurt to submit early. Unlike med school admissions though, you don't significantly alter your chances by getting the application in early. All that would happen is it would likely sit on a desk for 3 months until everything else was in anyways.

Most folks wait to the last minute and many end up dropping a few hundred dollars to overnight 15 manilla envelopes. I definitely don't recommend waiting that long🙂

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

No real tangible advantage regarding admission. It will save your sanity to get at least some done in advance, and it certainly won't hurt to submit early. Unlike med school admissions though, you don't significantly alter your chances by getting the application in early. All that would happen is it would likely sit on a desk for 3 months until everything else was in anyways.

Most folks wait to the last minute and many end up dropping a few hundred dollars to overnight 15 manilla envelopes. I definitely don't recommend waiting that long🙂

Definitely.

When I applied I only had to over-night 1-2 apps, but the stress involved with it was really not pleasant.



-t

 

[JockNerd]

The only reasons I can think to wait are waiting on letters of ref or waiting for Sept-Dec marks to get added to your transcript if they make a significant difference to your GPA. If you've known your letter-writers for a long time and the marks from the last term don't matter, send it on in!

Edit after reading Raynee's response: Well don't send it in NOW. I mean, like, don't wait till the last week. 😛

 

[RayneeDeigh]

I actually had a few schools tell me NOT to submit things early because it makes it more difficult for them to have to hang on to things and not lose files.

I'd recommend 2-3 weeks before the deadline.

 

[nononora]

I actually sent out all my completed applications during Thanksgiving last year, and no, it didn't seem to give me any advantage at all. Except for the fact that I was all relaxed when everyone else was panicking 🙂

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I actually sent out all my completed applications during Thanksgiving last year, and no, it didn't seem to give me any advantage at all. Except for the fact that I was all relaxed when everyone else was panicking 🙂

I aspire to be even remotely that organized to pull that off!!!

-t

 

[nononora]

I aspire to be even remotely that organized to pull that off!!!

It helps having no family in the US to celebrate Thanksgiving with you!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

It helps having no family in the US to celebrate Thanksgiving with you!

Ahh...okay. I quit my career and focused on the apps, but I had years worth of things I needed to do, but didn't because of the job, so even though I had 4+ months to do my apps, I still was only making the deadlines by a week or less. Oh, and I was at thanksgiving with 40+ people...not conducive to editing personal statements, and I got a few...."You did what?!!" comments. In retrospect I should have just photocopied a written statement and handed it out to my extended family, so I didn't answer the same 6-8 questions over and over.



-t

 

[Quynh2007]

I actually had a few schools tell me NOT to submit things early because it makes it more difficult for them to have to hang on to things and not lose files.

I'd recommend 2-3 weeks before the deadline.

i second this. i was discouraged from sending in anything before nov. not that i would have, i definitely did send in everything last minute.