Ok. Please help me understand! People keep saying that if you turn your app in early, there's better chances of getting in? How does this happen? Isn't the standard the same whether you turn your app in during September January?
Of course, there are always minimum standards, but what is considered worthy of an appointment is always relative to those with whom you are competing. Every time the Admission Board meets they
will decide to give appointments/LOAs to some that were under consideration. And the only ones being considered are those whose application has reached a point that qualifies them for consideration.
Let's assume you have your application ready for consideration for the Board's first meeting.
(I'm just making up these numbers - but you get the point)
1st meeting: 300 applications are being considered.
2nd meeting: 1000 applications are being considered.
3rd meeting: 1600 applications are being considered.
And so on ...
These are accumulative. The 300 applications in the first meeting will be considered
again during the 2nd meeting. Although, there are always some that are summarily rejected.
If your application is ready at the first meeting, your application may look quite impressive when compared to the other 299 applicants. They may have you earmarked for an appointment.
But if your application comes in on their 3rd meeting, you are now competing against a much
larger pool. Maybe more impressive candidates have entered the fray and now your application is not so impressive anymore.
Ideally, you want your application considered in
every meeting.
Having said that, nonetheless, the cream
still rises to the top no matter
when it comes in. But for some with less impressive credentials, getting it in
early may be just the little advantage they needed.
Your goal shouldn't be to rush through your application process just to get considered for the first meeting. Your goal should be to put together the best application possible. If you do that, you'll get fair consideration.
One candidate in our area got a phone call 2 days before I-Day and asked if he was
still interested. He accepted. He had to rapidly withdraw from Auburn and get ready to make the trip to Annapolis. He was a
reapplication, by the way.