Importance of applying on opening day

Day 1 probably doesn't matter, but it would be reasonable to have your app in sometime within the first week or so, i.e. the end of the month isn't a good idea. Where this really becomes a problem for most folks is looking at your application and pulling the "well, if I only took another day or two or three I could make it better maybe..."

The other problem is that places may screen apps but won't formally evaluate them until they are complete WITH LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. Be warned that while many places say that they don't really look at apps until MSPEs come out, I dare say that most have already got it sorted and all the MSPEs do is serve as a double check that you weren't completely BS'ing your app. I got an offer or two before MSPEs were released.

So, takehomes:
1) get your app in as soon as is reasonable... if you find yourself making up a reason to stall, send it in that day
2) figure out a clever way to gently nudge your LoR'ers to mail their damn letters
3) don't worry about MSPEs
4) oh and finally, in case there's anyone out there who is thinking "well I'll apply to 20 places first and see how that goes and then maybe apply to more"... this may not be a good strategy and you may be better-served by applying broadly at the outset. A couple of thousand bucks now is a lot cheaper than not matching for a year.

Just my 2 cents.

Merlin speaks wisdom. I was neurotic and submitted my app 5 mins after ERAS opened on Sept. 1st last year. By the end of the day like 19 programs had downloaded my application. What they did with it I will never know, but I know for sure that they saw my info before they saw others. That had to count for something.

There is no reason to delay submitting your application via ERAS ("I'm waiting for a letter of recommendation", etc...). Get your application in as soon as you can. And as we've discussed extensively in the past - as politically correctly as possible be nice to the attending's office coordinator and get your letters of recommendation in as soon as possible.

As we've also discussed recently, while the majority of programs(Columbia included) still wait for the MSPE letter before invitations are offered, the number of programs that offer invitations prior to their release has increased steadily each year.

It's that time of year again. Pearls and pitfalls:

1) Get your application in ASAP
2) Get your LOR in ASAP
3) Have your strongest advocates write your letters (not just "famous people" who don't necessarily know you very well). The more ortho you can the better but not at the expense of the first clause.
4) Personal statement should not be more than 1 page (and not 10 font!).
5) Try not to apply to programs to which you have no intent of going just to get to the "40-50 programs" that an advisor or colleague has told you is the right number!
6) If you start getting multiple invitations for the same date please relinquish those that you clearly will not be going to ASAP to free them up for other students.

Hope this is helpful - good luck everyone --

wnl