what's the point of academic update?

[2PacClone23]

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isn't academic update in the middle of november...which is well after they send out interview invites? so even if my gpa would increase substantially (including the spring, summer courses, to middle of november), isn't it usually too late in the admission process to have any effect?

 

[notin]

the academic update period starts in november but goes through january, so you can enter your summer and fall term grades in during that time (though you can only make one update, so its wise to wait until your fall semester ends before updating). interviews are conducted all the way into march, so schools getting a chance to see your grades at the end of december could either make or break an already interviewed but not yet accepted student, or give a late interview to a student who previously wasn't going to receive one.

 

[2PacClone23]

that doesn't really answer my question but whatever

 

[dds4yrs]

SOME schools do still extend interview invitations after December. I was offered an interview in February for 3 weeks later this year. Also if you are taking some pre-reqs furing the fall and the schools could have been waiting to see how you were going to do in the pre-reqs to extend an interview.

 

[98user]

no not necessarily. not all interviews are sent out in December, this is the earliest date you can receive an interview. you can always sent your new transcripts to the school of interest and this will be added to your file and will strengthen your application. many interviews are sent in January and February, and an increase in GPA WILL have an effect. i guess it always depends on the school's review process. take for example Detroit mercy, they started the cycle in November ( i think).
i think some applications are put aside, and any additions can shift the committee's opinion from maybe to definitely.

 

[Vicviper]

I applied somewhat late, in November, and I had heard that some schools don't look at your application as complete until you Academic Update.

 

[Waitlisted2009]

.

 

[notin]

that doesn't really answer my question but whatever

not my fault you're not able to understand the purpose of a pretty simple step in the application. oh well.

 

[2PacClone23]

its not simple because i keep hearing mixed answers from whether or not they consider spring, summer grades...when MOST interviews are in sept or october...which is well before the academic update period even begins

 

[dds4yrs]

You only do an Academic Update at the end of your Fall semester, so you can include your previous fall semester and summer(if you took classes). If you should be accepted to a school then yes you have to forward your new Spring transcripts to the school. ALL grades matter at one point or another!!! We all are telling you that a good deal of interviews are still offered after January and February, so if your gpa was going to "substantially change" from your summer and fall grades then kudos to you, it can only help you! I think I would only be worried about the academic update if I didn't do so well. Plus sending in new grades and transcripts gives you a great reason to contact your schools to make sure they arrived and touch base about the status of your application.

 

[Kneecoal]

so then if they already passed someone by and said they didn't make the cut the first time, they'll take another look at the person's app if they receive an update and give them a second chance (of being invited to interview)? is that the point?

 

[dds4yrs]

I think that is a good assumption. A lot of times they are waiting to see how one does in certain classes. I have been told this by the admissions people at different schools personally. So depending on your courses your academic update could really have a significant impact on whether you get the interview or not.

 

[notin]

its not simple because i keep hearing mixed answers from whether or not they consider spring, summer grades...when MOST interviews are in sept or october...which is well before the academic update period even begins

since you apply in june your spring grades should be on your initial aadsas application. if you apply late you could include summer classes in that, but you should apply before any summer classes would be done. so, summer and fall grades might not be relevant to you if you get an early interview and are quickly accepted. but, the academic update will affect a lot of applicants, and its very likely to matter to you in some fashion.

 

[Kneecoal]

interesting. so what do you think about this:

i'm applying this cycle, graduating in may, but still have physics (and the dat) to take over the summer. i'm on the shallow end of the gpa pool, hopefully will end up with a 3.0x sgpa and around a 3.2 by the time i graduate.

i was thinking i would apply early as my chances are not so great, but my advisor was strongly urging me to wait till the end of august so that i can submit my physics grades. but then i feel like applying at the end of august would be too late for me!

do you think i should apply in june and send the update after i finish physics? or wait to send it in altogether? (there's also the gamble of not knowing how well i'll do on the dat until mid/end of july) i'm in a pickle.

 

[dds4yrs]

I am a firm believer in applying early, no matter what. I don't think physics is typically one of the courses which is highly looked upon, especially since it is not on the DAT. If physics is the only pre-req you have left then I would DEFINITELY apply early. But staying in touch with your admissions officers is key. There is a big wave of rejections sent December 1st, but if you stay in touch with the schools maybe you could avoid being part of that.

 

[2PacClone23]

since you apply in june your spring grades should be on your initial aadsas application. if you apply late you could include summer classes in that, but you should apply before any summer classes would be done. so, summer and fall grades might not be relevant to you if you get an early interview and are quickly accepted. but, the academic update will affect a lot of applicants, and its very likely to matter to you in some fashion.

Not true. When you apply June 1st, the quarter system isn't even over. The quarter ends June 15th ish...grades would be released June 22nd or something. So no, it wouldn't be included on the initial AADSAS app.

 

[dds4yrs]

So apply as soon as you find out those grades. You are really making this a lot harder than it is! Applying by the end of June is still GREAT timing, especially since AADSAS doesn't open up until June 1st this year anyways! I would just submit as soon as you found out grades from that quarter.

 

[2PacClone23]

So you're saying there's absolutely no difference between June1st and June 25th, for example?

 

[dds4yrs]

Yes I am! That is still an EARLY application. If you have everything else in at that point, all your LOR's, your transcripts from previous semesters so they can go ahead and verify them, then all they will have to verify are those last few grades and your application will still be sent to the schools about the same time as the June 1st ones. Applying June 25th will not hurt your chances. If you are fortunate enough, you will still get an early interview and possibly a December 1st acceptance. I have been through the cycle twice now with many friends and different experiences, last year I know of two people who applied in November and they both got accepted to their school of choice, granted it was a March acceptance but still an acceptance!

 

[2PacClone23]

Hm...this changes the game quite a bit. I always thought June1st was the BEST.

 

[2PacClone23]

bumpo. anyone else wanna offer an opinion? is it really the same to apply june 25th than it is june 1st??