Just missed grad school application deadline..what can I do? update: My application has already been accepted! Thanks to everyone who has provided me valuable suggestions. I really appreciate your help! This is an important lesson to me: "Don't leave your work until the last minute"

I just missed the my grad school application deadline....... This is the biggest and most serious mistake I ever made in my life...

This university locates in the Central timezone so I assumed its application deadline was 11:59pm CST. Before I submitted my application, I rechecked everything out of a habit. Then I clicked to submit my application at 11:10pm CST but found that it couldn't be submitted because I was unable to choose the term of enrolment. I first thought it was an internet or technical problem so I restarted my search engine a few times but it still didn't work. At that time, I realized that the deadline might be in EST! (confirmed, as I could still choose term of enrollment for my application to another department in the same university whose deadline is at a later time).

I already sent the department with screenshot of my application with time displayed on the side, along with my application materials. I will also be calling the department first thing in the morning tomorrow to make an appeal. Taking the advice provided by the folks who responded to my question, I am also going to contact my prospective advisor for help.

Is there anything else I can do?
I just missed the my grad school application deadline....... This is the biggest and most serious mistake I even made in my life...


If that's really true, then what a great life you've had.  You'll bounce back from this and be back to sunshine and roses sooner or later.


  [D]oes anyone of you know if the department would accept my late application in this instance? 


Of course not [i.e., we don't know], because you haven't told us what department you've applied to. 


  Is there anything else I can do?  I am even too shamed to contact my prospective advisor regarding this situation.


Taking you at your word, letting shame prevent you from talking to your prospective advisor is the biggest and most serious mistake you've ever made in your life.  Don't do that.  Talk to your prospective advisor as soon as possible.  (There is no need to write about it in a panicked or alarmed tone.  If this really all just happened in the last two hours, it is quite likely that you'll hear from the admissions personnel as well.  But calmly informing your prospective advisor of the situation will be helpful.  If she tells the department that it was not your fault that your application was not submitted on time, it can only help your case.)  If it's very soon, there's at least a reasonable shot that this can be straightened out.  The worst case scenario is that you may have to apply elsewhere or up to one year later.  This is suboptimal and you should do what you can to avoid it, but it would not ruin your life.  Really.