Application Open, Close

[towney]

How does an application open or close?

"Currently enrolled UW students will be able to apply to the department once the College of Engineering application opens for the autumn quarter admission process. The application normally opens up after the spring quarter grades have been posted to student transcripts. It is typically about the third week of June. The application then remains open until July 1st, at which time it closes permanently until the following year. "

An 'application' is a formal request for something. But in the example, the author thinks that an 'application' could open or close. Could it be an error? Maybe it is the application cycle/period that opens or closes?

link: aa.washington.edu/admissions/undergradapp.html

 

[Raymott]

How does an application open or close?

"Currently enrolled UW students will be able to apply to the department once the College of Engineering application opens for the autumn quarter admission process. The application normally opens up after the spring quarter grades have been posted to student transcripts. It is typically about the third week of June. The application then remains open until July 1st, at which time it closes permanently until the following year. "

An 'application' is a formal request for something. But in the example, the author thinks that an 'application' could open or close. Could it be an error? Maybe it is the application cycle/period that opens or closes?

link: aa.washington.edu/admissions/undergradapp.html

Applications 'open' at the time when applications are first accepted. They 'close' at the time after which they are too late to be accepted.
The passage reads strangely to me. In Australia, we'd say "Applications remain open" not "The application remains open". Also "the application" doesn't close; "applications" do.
You can submit your application at any time between when applications open and when they close.
Maybe they express it differently in US, but I'm sure that is what open/close means for applications. Maybe an American can comment.

 

[towney]

Ignoring the singular/plural aspect, I still don't see how an application opens or closes. Most of the time, an application is a piece of paper on which a person would write his personal info, and then the application is mailed to some authority for review/consideration. So, for an application to open or close seems strange.

 

[Raymott]

Ignoring the singular/plural aspect, I still don't see how an application opens or closes. Most of the time, an application is a piece of paper on which a person would write his personal info, and then the application is mailed to some authority for review/consideration. So, for an application to open or close seems strange.

You can't ignore the singular/plural aspect if you insist that it's an individual application that opens and closes. It doesn't. "Applications" means "Acceptance of applications", or "The period of time during which applications are accepted".
The same applies for nominations, enrolments ... Your particular nomination or enrolment doesn't open and close.

 

[towney]

Does the plural form "applications open/close" refer to the countable acts of applying?

 

[emsr2d2]

As Raymott said quite clearly, "Applications" used in this context refers to "The period of time during which applications are accepted".