When to apply

[ac2888]

I am currently an undergraduate and I am looking to apply next cycle 2020-2021. I have a list of schools I want to apply to that have pretty late application dates so I could get in as many health care hours as possible before application. I am planning to have ~1000 hours by application and ~2000 prior to matriculation. My GPA and GRE are very high. I have volunteer, leadership, shadowing, and research experience. My question is for schools that do not have a 1000+ hour requirement would it be more beneficial to apply a few months earlier or to wait until I hit the 1000 hour benchmark. Will it make much of a difference? Is it better to apply early because of rolling decisions or try to get as many hours before application?

[rfo1234]

11 hours ago, ac2888 said:

I am currently an undergraduate and I am looking to apply next cycle 2020-2021. I have a list of schools I want to apply to that have pretty late application dates so I could get in as many health care hours as possible before application. I am planning to have ~1000 hours by application and ~2000 prior to matriculation. My GPA and GRE are very high. I have volunteer, leadership, shadowing, and research experience. My question is for schools that do not have a 1000+ hour requirement would it be more beneficial to apply a few months earlier or to wait until I hit the 1000 hour benchmark. Will it make much of a difference? Is it better to apply early because of rolling decisions or try to get as many hours before application?

Something to consider is whether or not they are rolling admissions.  If they are rolling admissions, it's always better to apply early. June is still considered early for the application process. The later you apply to rolling admissions programs the chances of you getting an interview and ultimately a seat decreases. There are people that apply close to the deadline and get in just fine but it's also about maximizing your chances!  If they aren't rolling admissions then I would wait until I have accrued more hours to be more competitive.