When it comes to applying to colleges, deadlines are sacrosanct. You can't call a college admissions office and receive an extension of time so you can submit a late application (unless it's an unusual extenuating circumstance, like a serious or prolonged illness). If you miss a deadline, even by a few minutes, your application probably won't be considered. That's why checking and double checking deadlines is so important. Although it doesn't happen often, an application deadline can change from one year to the next, so it's a good idea to verify deadlines in August or September of your senior year. In addition, I caution my students not to wait until the deadline to submit their applications. If you have a problem with the submission, you may not have time to rectify it and still meet the deadline.

Even within a particular college, deadlines may vary, depending on whether you're applying early decision, early action, or regular decision. Some schools have "priority" deadline dates, and most decisions are made from among the applications submitted by those dates. Make sure you know which deadline applies to you.

Although your application may be submitted on time, a college won't begin to look at it unless your file is complete. So give your high school counselor a heads up as early as you can as to the colleges to which you will be applying and to their deadlines, so that your transcripts and recommendations can be sent in time. When you ask your teachers for recommendations, let them know about those deadlines, as well. And don't forget to send your standardized test scores to the colleges, keeping in mind that it can take several weeks for those scores to reach the schools. My recent check of the College Board web site indicates that SAT scores are delivered approximately five weeks after it receives the "send" request; the ACT says it will process a request within a week and that it delivers scores to colleges at least every two weeks. Although the College Board can rush your SAT scores in two business days and the ACT will send a priority report within five or six business days, check with the particular colleges to find out if they will accept rush reporting; not all do.

Betsy F. Woolf

College & Graduate School Admissions Consultant