Turning in ERAS application after Sept 15?

[Healthyheal]

Hi all,

I'm really interested in PM&R but I'm not done working on my personal statement as yet.
It is okay for me to delay my application submission by say half a week? Or will that hurt me in this process?
I have an exam on Friday and an exam on Monday.
After which I should be able to devote my time to the statement.
Let me know please!
Or is it absolutely essential that I get it in by Sept 15?
How often do schools download ?
Bests,
healthyheal

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[timisdaman]

Each program is different. The earlier, the better, but you could probably get away with applying even early October.

 

[padresp]

The Dean's letters don't even come out until Oct 1st, so a lot of programs don't even start putting together their interview list until after that. I would wait and submit it when your personal statement is better. PS's don't really mean all that much, but if it has typos and grammatical errors, it will negatively affect your application.

 

[Tromner]

Generally agree with the above. Just make sure you submit you application as early as possible even if parts are missing. Just add them when you can. As the other poster mentioned, each program has different criteria to offer interviews. Some won't read incomplete apps, so offer spots based on numbers and don't read the statement until the interview day, some read everything first, etc.

 

[pmrthoughts]

I agree that PS probably won't make/break for the majority of the applicants. IMHO, much more important to get it in earlier with a normal PS than try to spend extra few days trying to come up with an above average PS.

Just a formulaic (but genuine) PS will do:

Paragraph 1: Start with a hook about a memorable experience in med school
Paragraph 2: Talk about how that memorable experience reaffirmed your life long aspirations to help people, change the world, etc.
Paragraph 3: PM&R is the perfect avenue for you to accomplish above stated aspirations, because...
Paragraph 4: You are looking for the program that will train you to successfully do this and are super excited!

Done.

Seriously though, as someone else said above, just make sure your grammar is solid and write genuinely and get the apps in early!

Timing does really make a difference, I've experienced the effects of delaying the apps 2 weeks later:
I sent one batch of apps about 2 days after it opened. Then I decided to apply to more programs as "back up," a second batch of apps about 2 weeks after. I received interview offers from about 90% of the first batch and only about 50% from the second batch, even though my application was exactly the same. This was definitely not a randomized control trial experience, but the overall impression is... apply early.