SharpieMarker

Anyone who has applied to PhD programs, do you know if you are able to submit your letters of rec and transcripts before completing the application?

I'd like to give enough time for the physical transcripts to arrive, and for my letter's of rec writers enough time to complete those. I won't have the application done till closer to the deadline since I'm waiting to submit a journal which would really boost my application, but obviously still need a little time to work on it.

Or does this vary by school?

virions

That should be fine, and is probably what most people do as these things tend to be sent out all at one time. Same with GRE scores, as really no one applies during the summer, but it's a normal time for scores to be sent. I know I didn't finish some of my statements and applications until quite near the deadline. You don't want to cut it that close with transcripts.

Keep in mind, though, that many schools will require these things to be sent electronically. This means that your unofficial transcripts will be sent at the same time as when you apply, though your recommendations will be submitted online separately by professors, etc.

ccpsux

one quick related question.
For my discipline, most grad schools have a hard deadline around Dec/Jan.
Letter of recs and quite possibly transcript are submitted separately. However, the schools don't state explicitly whether they want these to be received by the same hard deadline. Is it assumed then that they have to be in by the same deadline? Or they can be received some time later? If so, how late is acceptable?

virions

I remember last year, there was a thread discussing this. Some veterans of the forum swear by the fact that admissions committees know that professors can be slow in sending these things, and accept them late. I don't doubt that this is true, but personally it's just not comforting enough. It's not necessarily this way with every program (or even every discipline?). And if the application is completely automated, it might not matter if the admissions committee is understanding when they're not managing the software directly.

How late depends on the timing for that particular program. Some send most of their interview offers and rejections two weeks after the deadline, some take far longer. I would just do everything possible to get the letter in on time. If I recall, people last year argued that they would rather have their letters late (because they *will* undoubtedly and absolutely be accepted late. Apparently.) than risk reminding a busy PI for the 4th time. Fortunately I didn't have to deal with that kind of situation.