How much of an impact does date of submission have?

Avery6555

Hi Everybody,
Everything you read says that the earlier you apply to schools, the more likely it is that you will be accepted and the 7Sage Predictor continuously reduces your chances of acceptance with each passing month; however, I am wondering what you guys think regarding how much the timeliness of your application submission matters. I am running a little behind getting my applications in because of some issues with my transcript, and I'm starting to get nervous that because I am sending my application in late will cause me to be rejected.

My highest and most recent LSAT is a 171 (but I do have 2 other scores that are significantly lower) and my GPA is a 3.83. I am a non-URM and have been working as a paralegal since my graduation from NYU in May 2015. I would say that my background and softs are basically average. Berkeley is my first choice - but I'm very worried that my late application will keep me from getting a seat. Looks like it is going to be a very close call. Any thoughts?

Thank you!!

MissChanandler

I think you still have a pretty solid shot if you get your application in by the end of the month. It's better to get them in as early as possible, but at this point, you can't go back and change things so there's no use in worrying about what if you had applied earlier. Your numbers are good for Berkeley, and your application will only be slightly on the late side. Good luck!

eRetaker

@Avery6555 https://www.google.com/amp/s/blog.powerscore.com/lsat/does-submitting-an-early-law-school-application-improve-your-chances?hs_amp=true

This article might be of interest to you in terms of how much impact app date matters to different schools. Also, the date of submission isn't really what matters as opposed to the date of completion which could be literally minutes after submission or weeks later. Berkeley seems to have a heavy time sensitive app process based on other people's lsn results, but you are above both medians so you have as good of a chance as anybody.

Leah M B

Well, I applied late last year (end of January and into February) and had ok but not great results. Berkeley rejected me, but you have my LSAT beat by a few points.

Word on the street is that last year was particularly tough on late cycle applicants, causing a lot of them (myself included) to reapply this year. It seems as though schools are going to be a little slower and more cautious this year, so it might not be as tough as a market. If you want to see my results with dates and outcome, shoot me a PM and I'll share my LSN profile with you.

Avery6555

@MissChanandler @eRetaker and @"Leah M B
Thank you guys so much for your input! I am trying to submit next week, so I will just have to hope for the best!

Selene Steelman

While it is good to try to submit your application as early in the cycle as you can, you should try not to sacrifice the quality of your application for the sake of speed. Generally, submitting a completed application one week earlier or later at this point will not make that much difference to an admissions office. Be mindful of the school's official deadline, but otherwise do take the time to review your materials and polish your essays to a shiny finish. If you are late in submitting because of a transcript issue, then the matter is out of your hands completely. Generally speaking, all the spots in a law school's Fall 2019 class will not be filled by February, and a file with your numbers and background will be reviewed.

Good luck,
Selene