Do Colleges Review Applications Before the Deadline?

RichInPitt
Mon, 28 Oct 2019 20:04:25 +0000

There seems to be an asked and an implied question.

Yes, some schools will look at files early, if complete, as noted. The question concludes by asking how it’s possible to review all of the applications when there are "about 10 people listed on the admissions staff. "

First, an AO at an Ivy I spoke with recently said they have about 70 people involved in the admissions review process. A list on a web site isn’t a be all and end all of who is involved.

Second, schools do this for a living and have been doing it for years. Their job is to review applications, which the institution has probably been doing for decades (if not centuries ). Don’t worry that it’s impossible, or that your file may be missed.

The related question - whether they read them early or not, how they get through all of them, etc., etc., - don’t think that getting an application in before the deadline will give some some type of an advantage in the process. If they read it early, they will capture a summary, extract key statistics, etc., as they will do for others that come in later, and then will go back to the entire population to start making decision.

Rolling admissions is the exception, but that’s different.