submitted an assignment seconds late

How to manage the 11:59 PM Deadline Comfortably

If you have ever had trouble submitting an assignment or received a penalty for minutes late submission, you understand how strict some professors can be. From losing an entire grade to losing a specific percentage of the grade or re-sitting a paper submitting an assignment (essay, discussion post, online quiz, homework, or research paper) can affect you as a student.

Late assignment submissions, albeit controversial, aim to make students learn the aspect of time management. Unfortunately, the immutable deadlines are sometimes biting lazy students, pushing them to begin working early and avoid even 1-minute late submissions.

Even though some educators might offer a grace period for a minimal time, some will apply a sliding scale late policy where they deduct a percentage of the score for each hour or day you are late with your assignments.

From the perspective of the professors, such policies ensure fairness for students who submitted their assignments earlier. We have tips and tricks to help you understand and manage minute late submissions to avoid being on the wrong side of the zero-tolerance late policy of your university.

What causes students to submit assignments late?

Different reasons can cause you to submit assignments late. We are addressing them here so that you are in the know and so that you can devise various strategies to avoid the associated late submission penalties.

Here are the top nine reasons students submit assignments late (you can use some when requesting a late submission from your professor or instructor):

1. Procrastination

Students sometimes find themselves missing submission due dates due to procrastination. Sometimes, procrastination can occur with the rigorous nature of studies and the fact that some students work and study. Furthermore, life outside of class, such as parties, festivals, movies, and meeting with friends, leaves one with little time to complete assignments on time. Having commitments and deciding to complete an assignment later can cause you actually to miss the deadline. Common ground is if you later learn that the assignment is demanding or complex or do not know what to write or hate writing essays.

2. Waiting for a response from a professor

Another reason students find themselves unable to meet submission deadlines is due to the late response from a professor. In most cases, especially when assignments are complicated, you can seek clarifications from your lecturer or professor. However, if your professor responds to your email late, the chances are that you will also submit the assignment late. We will see shortly how to manage such situations and avoid submitting your assignments late.

3. Lack of proper planning and time management

This happens mostly for working students. They often find themselves having too much on their schedule that they probably forget to complete and submit a school assignment early. For instance, if you are an undergraduate or MBA student working and studying, having assignments that require time at work can hamper your completion date for the assignments from school.

4. Writer's Block

Sometimes it is not about did I get the question right? or inadequate time management. Even with the right skills, time, and resources, you might still feel lazy to complete an assignment. With the fast-paced world around us, we get fatigued faster. Suppose you are one of those that like completing assignments last-minute; writers' block has probably messed you up before. We have tips to address this, as we shall see shortly.

5. Lack of knowledge about the assignment

Finally, lacking the knowledge to complete an assignment can make you submit it late. Sometimes, you will end up submitting a late assignment that is incomplete : two wrongs at a go. In addition, many classmates might not be willing to assist you with understanding the assignment.

6. Using shitty assignment help websites

Today, almost seven out of ten students use an assignment writing service. However, without choosing a reliable and legit service, you might run into problems with your submission deadlines. Mainly, this occurs due to the late submission of assignments by writers. Rogue writers are everywhere online, from Twitter to Reddit and now Facebook; they will approach you with sweet deals, and once you assign them to your homework and pay them to do it, they disappear on the internet. Putting too much trust in another person without a legit website to write your essay or assignment can mess you. We had a case where a client wanted to use our write my late assignment ASAP service because a previous writer from Twitter had held their paper ransom and requested more payment or expose them to their school and professor. Well, you can manage this by working with our custom assignment help website.

7. You just hate writing assignments

The assignment writing process is tedious and rigorous. For instance, when writing an essay, you begin by researching, then drafting an outline, and going all the way to proofreading and editing. As a result, if you hate writing homework, you might be slow and find yourself submitting an assignment late.

8. Unforeseeable Circumstances

Deadline violation often occurs when you face nasty circumstances that you cannot foresee as a human being. These circumstances include disasters, sickness, death, accidents, or injuries. Professors have a soft spot for accepting minutes late submissions if you face these issues, so you need not worry as long as you have proof. Sometimes it is your laptop that got either rained on, attacked by a virus, or stolen. Whatever happens to your computer or laptop, you probably do not have time to complete the assignment or begin doing it over and beat the deadline unless you are very fast.

9. Poor Internet

We have cases when you travel for the weekend, visit with others (friends or family), which can cause you to either forget submitting or, because you are in a hurry, to save the assignment on your laptop or phone and submit it later.

If you run into slow internet issues or poor coverage, you might find yourself turning in an assignment later than the 11:59 PM deadline or the deadline set by your professor.

Tips and Tricks to use to avoid minute-late submissions

To avoid submitting assignments after the deadline, missing full marks due to lateness, or earning a bad reputation, it is necessary to take precautions. Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to avoid turning in assignments later than the due date and time.

Do your assignment early enough

Even with one-minute lateness, submitting an assignment later incurs some loss as a student. Expressly, professors and lecturers set the dates on Canvas and Turnitin and set an automatic deduction once your work is late.

If you know that your deadline for a ten or 5-page paper is 11:59 Sunday or Wednesday, and you have been assigned the paper 3-5 days before the deadline, the best thing is to begin earlier.

Students who draft a research paper or essay plan often find it easier to complete assignments within the deadlines than those who do not. As soon as you are assigned a paper, make it a point to clarify with the professor anything unclear. This leaves you plenty of time to research, decide on a topic, write the first draft, edit, and submit the paper on time.

Write the fast draft early enough, then edit later as the deadline nears. Sometimes submitting an assignment too early might be judged by the professor as you rushed the paper. Therefore, before you hit the submit button, ensure that everything is addressed per the instructions and the rubric.

Set your deadline early before the actual submission deadline

Apart from just beginning the paper early, another excellent strategy is to set your personal deadline for completing the paper early than the actual deadline. If an assignment is due in 5 days, set your deadline to 3 or 4 days. You can use the rest of the deadline to do other stuff or equally edit the paper thoroughly.

There is some deep joy and peace that comes with completing a paper. However, you can only experience the moment when you complete the paper.

Do not procrastinate editing and submitting the final draft.

Sometimes students write the papers early enough and procrastinate editing and proofreading. Nevertheless, doing so might land you in trouble because you might experience unforeseeable circumstances. For instance, your laptop might crash, or you can fall too ill to complete the paper. Although if you have an unrefined paper, you can hire a proofreader or editor to paraphrase, edit, and polish your essay. It is, however, a great practice to completely do away with a paper before committing your time elsewhere. Instead, plan your time, have adequate rest, and allocate the time you have the highest concentration to completing your paper.

Have an accountability partner, group, or study buddy

Another great way to ensure that you complete assignments before deadlines entails having an accountability partner, study group, or a study buddy.

An accountability partner is an effective strategy that helps you set and achieve goals. It also helps you maintain the zeal to complete assignments, read course materials, and hone your writing/reading/research skills.

With a study group, you will have members who share like interests. They will likely remind you about your unsubmitted assignments and keep you in check. They can also be helpful with research and sharing insights on how to approach an assignment.

Finally, a study buddy (a friend, classmate, or roommate) can help you maintain the morale of reading, studying, and completing assignments.

Having either of the three can help you begin working on your assignments early enough to avoid the last-minute rush.

Email your professor for a deadline extension

If you are very sure you have done your best to complete a paper, but due to unavoidable circumstances, you cannot complete the paper on time, you can request your professor to accept a late submission. Note that with such a request, you must have proof. For instance, if your excuse is being sick or a family member died or fell ill, you should produce credible hospital evidence. In most cases, if the email is not answered soon enough, proceed to call your professor.

If you have already submitted an assignment later than the set deadline, email your professor to convince them not to hit you with the 10-25% deadline violation penalty. You should apologize and then explain the reasons for submitting the assignment late. Also, suggest how being rated poorly might affect your GPA and convince your professor that you will never submit a paper late again.

Play around with Turnitin Settings

If you want to make your professor not penalize you for late submission, you can tweak some settings on the Turnitin website. First, you can modify the assignment link from the control panel. First, select the Course Tools, then pick the assignment whose link you wish to edit. Next, select the link to the assignment and then select Edit Assignment. You can then comfortably change the deadline so that your submission deadline is within the deadline.

Another common trick you can use is submitting a corrupted Word or PDF file of the assignment. In this case, since your professor cannot open the file, they will write to you requesting the original uncorrupted file. You can use the time in between to complete your paper and wait for their call or email request.

Finally, you can also find a way to edit the submitted assignment by editing the content folder. In the case of Turnitin, you will find the link to the assignment and click on the Action Link tab to make the change.

Since these are not guaranteed tips to work because of ongoing updates, you should contact your professor because they are a person who has emotions. Alternatively, complete your papers early enough.

Work with a last-minute assignment service.

The ultimate trick to avoid minutes-late submission is hiring a fast essay writing service to write your last-minute paper. Gradecrest has experts who can write your last-minute essay faster. Our writers are experienced enough to write two pages within an hour or ten pages in 6-8 hours. Therefore, if you realize that the deadline is very close and you cannot complete your assignment, you can use our affordable academic writing services.

When someone is working on your paper, keep them on your toes, ask for progress, and involve yourself so that the final paper has much of your input and matches your writing style. Also, work with credible writing websites to avoid having papers that are traceable through Turnitin.

Understanding the 11:59 PM assignment submission deadline

11:59 PM, mainly on Sunday nights, is a dreaded time by many students. It is when all the discussion posts, assignments, essays, and most homework are due.

For Canvas, SafeAssign, and Turnitin, it is common to see the submission deadline set at 11:59 PM- a minute to midnight. If you do not take the precautions, we have highlighted above, the chances are that your 1-minute lateness might cost you a grade.

Submitting assignments at 11:59 means, you can submit your assignment at 11:59:59 PM. After the deadline, Turnitin, SafeAssign, or Canva automatically marks the submission as late.

Such lateness could be why you miss an A or B and get a poor grade for an otherwise easy paper. Therefore, complete your assignments on time, use writing services, plan your time, and consult with your instructor early enough to avoid late submission penalties.

You might incur risks when you submit an assignment later than 11:59 PM. First, you will face the consequences of being late. One of the consequences includes being undermarked. You can as well be requested to take a re-sit of the paper or lose the marks altogether. Either way, your final grade will be impacted by otherwise avoidable circumstances.

Note that 12-, 24-, or 1-hour late submissions are treated the same as 1-minute late submissions in terms of consequences.

Another risk of submitting an assignment late is facing technical hitches with the system. For example, your internet might act up, and also, because everyone is rushing to submit at the last minute, the chances are that the system gets overloaded and slow.

Before you close this Tab, ...

We have looked at some of the best strategies to avoid submitting your assignments late. However, if you are a frequent late assignment submitter, these tips and tricks can work well in your favor.

Related Reading: 

• What is the acceptable Turnitin similarity percentage for essays and assignments?

Above all, you can always spare some cash to hire an assignment writer to assist if you have little time on your hands. However, if you have adequate time, avoid procrastination and writer's block by planning early, setting your own deadlines, and consulting with your instructor early enough.

We have experts if you have an online exam and want someone who can write your short answers in real time. They can save you from violating the exam deadlines.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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Minutes Late Assignment Submission: Tips to avoid Penalties

Minutes Late Assignment Submission

Have you ever completed an assignment and noticed that you are just minutes late to its submission time? If so, then you are among the many students who seek ways to avoid late penalties when submitting an assignment, even 1 minute late.

In this post, you will learn all the tips on how to handle any late submission and the ways in which you can avoid the associated penalties. We will also give you an email template to your professor if you are caught submitting an assignment late.

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Tips how to Handle 1-Minute Late Submission

As we have noted, even a one-minute late submission is subject to a 10% penalty. This is automatic for all assignments submitted through Turnitin.

This is undeniably frustrating because a 10% penalty is a heavy price to pay for just being a minute late.

Furthermore, you will be treated the same as a student who has submitted their work within 24 hours after the deadline.

Some tips can be used to help you submit your assignment 1 minute late without necessarily receiving a 10% penalty.

The best and most appropriate tip for 1 minute late submission is to submit and communicate with your instructor concerning the issue.

Algorithms control Turnitin, while your instructor is a human with emotions. You can approach them physically or email them detailing why you have been late by a minute.

Like humans, they will understand that issues like errors in communication, slow or unstable internet connection, or any other software or hardware malfunction may cause the delay.

They also understand that the penalty will negatively affect a good paper’s score. The chances are that they will understand and reconsider the 10% penalty on your paper.

If you do not wish to communicate with your instructor or you have heard from students that your instructor will not reconsider the penalty even after you have explained the reason for the 1-minute lateness, there are some tips that you can use to avoid the 10% penalty.

The first tip is to change the deadline or the current assignment link. To accomplish this, you must first log in to your Turnitin account and open the control panel.

You should then select the course tools and pick the desired Turnitin assignment from the drop-down list. Select the link to the Turnitin assignment.

After you finish, look for the top menu and select the tab labeled “Edit Assignment”. It is from here that you can change the deadline. Ensure that the changed deadline comes after the actual deadline.

The second tip is to edit the settings of the Turnitin assignment within the content folder. You should find the link to the assignment and select the tab labeled “Action Link.”

Finally, choose the “Edit Assignment” section. The final tip for 1 minute late submission is to upload a corrupted file to Turnitin. Your instructor will not be able to open it and, therefore, will request you to resubmit your paper.

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Late Submission Penalties

The Penalties of submitting on Turnitin 1 minute late differ from one institution to another.

This is because different instructors have varying levels of leniency when it comes to penalizing students on late assignments, even when they are late by a minute

Ideally, most universities through Turnitin or Canva give a 10% penalty on late assignments not later than 24 hours.

If you have submitted your work 1 minute late, the penalty may be similar to a student who has submitted several hours late.

This can be attributed to the fact that Turnitin uses an algorithm to determine what constitutes a late assignment submission.

For example, if the deadline is 11:59 pm, submitting your assignment at midnight or even the next day may be treated the same.

Therefore, you will be penalized 10% of the total grade.

However, this does not apply to all institutions or instructors. Some instructors may show empathy when they realize that you have submitted your assignment 1 minute late.

If they do not and you are worried that the penalty will affect your overall score, it is advisable to talk face-to-face with the instructor or write them an email detailing the situation.

What does Assignment Due at 11:59 pm Mean?

When you are told to submit your assignments on the due date via Turnitin, it means that that is the deadline for submitting your work. Any submission after the due date is considered a late submission, and it is subject to penalties.

Assignment due at 11:59 pm means that Turnitin has taken it as the default submission deadline for the course’s time zone. It should be noted that the seconds are not counted in due dates.

Therefore, an assignment due at 11:59 pm means that the assignment is due at 11:59:01 pm. Any submission after that is considered late and is subject to penalty.

Risks when you Submit an Assignment at 11:59 pm

As aforementioned, there are risks associated with submitting your assignment 1 minute late. The default deadline for Turnitin is usually 11:59 pm.

This is because a minute after that time will mean that midnight has reached and a new day with a new date has reached. It is a way of giving students ample time to complete their assignments.

Lateness risk

For example, if the deadline for an assignment is, let’s say, July 21st, the 11:59 pm deadline rule will ensure that the last day of the deadline is completely utilized by the students.

Any submission after that will mean that the student submitted their assignment the next day, which will be July 22nd.

Therefore, the risk of submitting your assignment at 11:59 pm is that one minute will pass and your assignment will be perceived to be 1 day late.

The shift from 11:59 pm to 12:00 midnight means that the day and date have changed.

It is therefore advisable to submit your assignments earlier than that because the algorithms governing Turnitin will not understand that only a minute has passed for a full day to change.

This is the reason why a 24-hour late submission and a 1-minute late submission after 11:59 pm is treated the same and the default penalty is 10%.

Facing Technical Problems

Another risk associated with submitting assignments at 11:59 pm is that you may face unavoidable technical problems or issues that may result in lateness.

One issue may originate from unstable or slow internet. At times, Wi-Fi or internet sources may fail in terms of connectivity and speed.

Just imagine that you have completed your assignment and the internet fails you at the due date and time? That can be very frustrating. Again, you may face technical issues originating from your computer’s hardware or software.

At the same time, Turnitin’s servers may be unresponsive especially when several students are trying to submit their assignments at the due date. So, avoid such last-minute submissions.

Tips for Turning in Assignments Early

As aforementioned, it is evident that there are a lot of disadvantages when turning in assignments on the due date or after the due date.

This is because you will automatically be penalized if you do not approach your instructor with a convincing explanation. Therefore, it is important to turn in your assignments early to avoid inconveniencing yourself and your grade.

One of the tips for turning in assignments early is planning your day’s schedule. This is important because you have to separate your personal life and studies in such a way that they do not negatively affect each other.

You should have a few hours to tackle your assignment partly so that when the due date arrives, you will have already been through and even submitted it. You should also prioritize assignments in terms of their urgency.

Complete the most urgent first. When doing assignments, it’s advisable to complete those you consider to be the most difficult. The easier assignments will be easier to tackle and therefore you will be able to submit them early.

Finally, take planned breaks between doing your assignments to avoid procrastination. For example, during the time you have allocated for doing your assignments, you should have strict time-bound breaks that are not longer than 10-15 minutes. Longer breaks will diminish your willpower to complete the assignment.

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What to do if you Forgot to Submit your Assignment

Even though this can be considered as a reason for the late submission of assignments, it is usually not a viable or arguable reason for lateness.

This is because your instructor will create a negative perspective of you as a student. You can be regarded as lazy, negligent, unfocused, not serious, and so on. If you forgot to submit your assignment, be ready to have a very good reason for that.

Such reasons should prove to be more urgent or direr than submitting your assignment.

Such can be family or personal emergencies, health issues, and so on.

You should also be prepared with your assignment so that you can submit it. It is better to have a late assignment submission than to not submit.

This will demonstrate to your instructor that you did the assignment. They might show empathy if you provide a valid reason for forgetting to submit your assignment. Finally, be ready to write an email to your instructor.

How to Email your Professor for a Late Assignment

If you have submitted your assignment late, you should be prepared to write an email to your professor to avoid the 10% to 25% penalty depending on the duration of lateness.

The first thing you should do is apologizing and admitting that you have submitted your assignment late.

Secondly, provide valid reasons why you submitted your assignment late. Be straight to the point. You can read a post on various late submission hacks and learn how to give such reasons.

Thirdly, solemnly apologize for the late submission and demonstrate how the penalty would negatively affect you. Then, show that you will not repeat the same mistake by proposing a personal solution.

Late Assignment Email to the Professor

 Dear (Name of your professor),

I am writing to express my sincere apologies for submitting my assignment late. I understand that it is unacceptable to our institution’s policy, and it could lead to extreme measures and consequences.

My actions have troubled me and brought a lot of regrets. I had been very sick (providing a valid reason) for a while, and completing the assignment has been a struggle. I humbly request that you reconsider the penalty because it will badly affect my final grade.

In my studies, I promise to plan my time well to avoid the re-occurrence of such an incident. I resolve to work hard henceforth.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Hope to hear from you soon.

(Student’s Name)

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our managing editor and is in charge of the writing operations at Grade Bees.

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How strict should you be? A guide to assignment due dates.

Colleges typically require instructors to include a calendar of assignment due dates in every course syllabus. But most syllabi also include a disclaimer that assignment deadlines are subject to change.  

So, how flexible should deadlines really be in a college course? 

Be Flexible, or be Rigid, but Always be Consistent 

Be consistent in your approach to deadline flexibility, whether you never accept late work or are always willing to make an exception. Nothing irritates strong students more than their instructor announcing, “Since so many of you asked for more time on the assignment that was due today, I’m extending its deadline to next week.”  

Syllabi should always include a clearly stated policy about the circumstances under which late work might be accepted, if at all.  

But should this policy be applied equally to low-stakes and high-stakes assignments? 

Low-Stakes Assessments  

If a course has many low-stakes assessments, like quizzes or homework problems, those assignments are usually due on the same day each week.  

For example, if class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, there might a reading quiz due every Monday, to ensure that students are prepared for the week’s in-class discussions, and a homework problem due every Friday, to verify understanding of the week’s concepts. 

Here are three solid approaches to deadline flexibility for low-stakes assessments: 

1. Not flexible: Late work is never accepted  

If a student misses a deadline, they receive zero points on that assignment. 

This approach works best in courses that have many low-stakes assignments, such as reading quizzes on every textbook chapter, where missing one or two deadlines will not jeopardize a student’s understanding of the core concepts nor greatly impact their final letter grade. 

2. Somewhat flexible: Late work is accepted, at a penalty  

If a student misses a deadline, they can submit the assignment late, but their score will be penalized a specified amount (e.g. -5 points). 

This approach works best in courses where content acquisition is scaffolded such that missing one assignment will negatively impact a student’s understanding of core concepts and successful completion of future assignments. In this case, students who miss deadlines should be permitted to complete the missed assignments, but with a small scoring penalty to encourage on-time submissions in future weeks. 

3. Very flexible: Late work is made up, with instructor permission 

If a student misses a deadline, they must contact the instructor and arrange an alternate way to complete the assignment (e.g. by taking a make-up quiz during the instructor’s office hours). 

This approach works best in courses where low-stakes assessments are considered part of a student’s participation grade. In this case, missing a deadline is like missing a class meeting. Students should be encouraged to initiate contact with the instructor to arrange a way to verify their understanding of the missed assignment’s concepts.  

High-Stakes Assessments  

Every course has one or more high-stakes assessments, such as exams or research papers. These assessments are weighted more heavily (worth more of the overall course grade) than lower-stakes assessments because these are higher-level demonstrations of students’ proficiency in the course outcomes. Failure to successfully complete high-stakes assessments generally leads to failure of the entire course. 

What kind of flexibility is appropriate then for key, high-stakes course assessments? 

1. Not flexible: Deadlines do not change, under any circumstances  

If a student misses a deadline, they receive zero points on that assessment. 

This is the most common approach to deadlines for high-stakes assessments. It is rare for a college instructor to permit students to make up a missed midterm or final exam because students making up an exam would receive the unfair advantage of more time to prepare for the exam. Also, many final exams are scheduled for the very end of term, when there is no time remaining for make-up testing before instructors must report course grades to the college. 

2. Somewhat flexible: Deadlines are extended, at a penalty 

If a student misses a deadline, they can submit the assessment late, but their score will be penalized a specified amount (e.g. one letter grade per day). 

This approach is more common for midterm assessments, or for courses with single high-stakes assessments, such as a research paper that students work on throughout the term. If students who miss the deadline for a high-stakes assessment can still submit their work, but their score is heavily penalized, the course grades will accurately reflect the students’ term-long proficiency in the course outcomes. For example, a student who earned “A” scores all term but submitted their final paper one day late could still finish the course with a “B” grade. 

Remember, flexibility around assignments should be geared towards what makes sense in your course and for your students. While there are a lot of possible variations in regards to policy, the most critical element is to be clear and upfront with your students early in the term. This will help avoid confusion and complaints – and help you keep your sanity at the end of the term when students come looking for extra chances to make up missed work! 

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What Happens If You Submit Coursework Late?

Everything you need to know about late submissions.

There’s nothing worse than working really hard on a piece of coursework and accidentally missing the deadline, especially if you’re just a few minutes late. Universities have strict rules around coursework deadlines and turnitin submissions and if you do submit a piece of coursework late, you will have to deal with the penalties, which can be really scary if the coursework makes up a large part of your degree.

Whether you’ve actually submitted a piece of coursework late, or you just want to know what to expect in case you ever find yourself in that situation, here’s what you need to know about late submissions.

What’s the reason for the late submission?

Ok, so you’ve known about this piece of coursework for weeks but when it comes to the deadline, you’re late. There could be a few reasons why you’re submitting coursework late, and some of them are more acceptable than others.

Universities are pretty strict when it comes to deadlines, but let’s say there were genuine factors that prevented you from handing your work in on time. For example, your wifi cut out meaning you missed the deadline by a minute, or there was traffic on the way to hand in your coursework in person, or there’s been a genuine emergency involving you or a family member. These reasons are obviously, much more valid than you just simply woke up late, forgot the time, or hadn’t finished your coursework in time.

If you do have a genuine reason for late submission, you’re going to need some form of evidence to back up your claims and some lecturers may be more forgiving than others. In-person late submissions may be accepted, but turnitin normally shuts off from accepting submissions after the deadline, which could land you in trouble.

Lecturers have probably heard every excuse in the book when it comes to late coursework, but if you do have a genuine and valid reason it’s best to talk to them straight away to explain what happened. If you don’t have a genuine reason, you can still attempt to hand in your coursework late, but you will have to face the penalties.

In-person vs. online submission rules

The golden rule of coursework, check whether it needs to be submitted in person as well as online.

Unfortunately, if you submit your coursework online but fail to do it in person and visa versa, many universities will still consider this as a late submission and may automatically fail you. Some universities aren’t too bothered about in-person submissions anymore and only want you to do it online, whereas others want both a physical and digital copy. This is normally because the digital copy submitted on turnitin is scanned for plagiarism , and the physical copy may be marked and annotated and given back to you afterwards.

Online and in-person submissions may have different rules and be due at different times, so on submission day you’re going to want to make sure you’re prepared. If you do need to do a in-person submission, it’s probably best to print it out the day before (lecturers won’t care if you ran out of printing credits or the printers weren’t working) on the day, and to get to the submission desk bright and early to avoid oversleeping or traffic.

If you need to submit online, it’s best not to leave it until the last minute. You can normally submit coursework as soon as it’s done, so as soon as you’ve completed a piece and you’re happy with it, upload it before you forget. Yes, your wifi could genuinely cut out 30 seconds before the deadline, but your lecturers will just ask you why you left it until the last minute or didn’t go to the library to use the public and more reliable wifi there.

Triple check deadline dates and times

You might have multiple pieces of coursework due in the same week that all require physical and digital submissions, so the only way to make sure you’re sticking to deadlines is to triple check.

Unfortunately, it is easy to accidentally mess up the days or misread the time but as easy as it is, universities probably aren’t going to be very lenient if you miss a deadline purely because you thought it was due at 1pm and it was actually 12pm. Being a student is all about being accountable for yourself, and if you do mix up the deadline date it will be your own fault even if it is a super easy mistake. So, we can’t stress enough double and triple check your deadlines! Write them on post it notes on your wall, set timers on your phone an hour before, and don’t leave it until the last half an hour to try and get everything done.

Speak to your tutors or university

If you do submit a piece of coursework late, the first thing you need to do is email your tutors or go and speak to them in person. If you’re too late to submit via turnitin, you need to email them as soon as possible to let them know what’s happened and with a copy of your work in case they’re willing to accept it late and they will be able to advise on next steps.

Sometimes, genuine emergencies can come up last minute which are definitely more important than a coursework deadline. If on the day before, or the day of your submission something comes up, for example a family member is rushed to hospital, email your tutors as soon as possible before the deadline to let them know what’s happening and to ask for an extension. Your tutors are much more likely to be lenient about late submissions if you’ve already told them in advance that it’s going to be late.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your coursework and don’t think you’ll make the deadline or are really struggling with your mental health, try and let them know a few days in advance and request a possible deadline. Your tutors want you to do well and if they know there’s something going on, they will be much more likely to grant an extension or hold off on penalties for late submission if you’ve given them a heads up in advance.

What’s the penalty for late submission?

Unfortunately, late submissions are treated quite seriously by universities. The penalty will depend on your university, your reason for late submission and by how late you were at submitting, eg. were you one minute late to your in-person hand in or are you 4 hours late? It’s best to check on your universities website to find out the exact penalties for late submission, but some universities will deduct marks.

Your work could be reduced by anywhere from 5-10%, or if you’re really late capped at the pass mark, so you won’t receive a grade higher than 40. You might also fail the whole module. Penalties and mark deductions are normally based on how late you submitted your work, so if you leave it a few days you’re much more likely to have your work capped at a pass mark, but if you’re only a few minutes behind your mark might just be reduced by 5%. This is why it’s best to let your tutors know as soon as possible that you need an extension or that your coursework is going to be late, as the longer you leave it to submit the more severe the penalty will be.

Your tutors and Students’ Union should be able to help you out and offer advice on what to do based on your personal circumstances if you do submit a piece of coursework late.

For more uni advice, check out how to avoid plagiarism here.

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How to Email Professor About Late Work

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. and by wikiHow staff writer, Caroline Heiderscheit . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 136,484 times.

With deadlines, jobs, activities, and relationships to juggle, managing your schedule as a student can be tough. If you’ve realized you’re going to miss a deadline (we’ve all been there), you might be wondering how to email your professor for an extension, to apologize, or to limit any late penalties. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Below, we'll walk you through how to email your professor, plus we'll give you some sample emails to inspire you, too. To learn how to email your professor about late work, read on!

Example Emails to Professors for a Late Assignment

Every now and then, it’s okay to miss a deadline. When this happens, send an email immediately and say something along the lines of, “I apologize for turning in this assignment late. Know that I take my work seriously, and I'll do my best to avoid this in the future. I would greatly appreciate an extension on this paper if possible.”

Tips For Late Work Emails

• Don’t say: “I’m just genuinely so, so sorry. I can’t believe I turned this in late, and you have no idea how long I prepped for this assignment. I really am so sorry that I missed the deadline, and you should know that I will do my best in the future, even when I have tech issues, to not let this happen again.”
• Instead say: “I apologize for turning in this assignment late. Know that I take my work seriously and I’ll do my best to avoid this in the future.”

• Don’t say: “Message from a student in Psych 104,” “Need an extension,” or “Hello from Randy Bernard!”
• Instead say: “Extension Request for Psych104, Paper 2: Randy Bernard”

• Use a formal greeting. “Dear Professor James,” and “Professor James,” are perfect. “Hey,” and “Hi,” are too informal and should be avoided.
• Same goes for your signoff—choose a formal phrase. “Best,” and “Sincerely,” are great picks.
• If you’re asking your professor for something, be sure to ask, not demand. Instead of saying “I need” an extension, say that an extension would be extremely helpful to you.
• Remember to use “Please” and “Thank you," too!

• This could hurt your relationship and increase penalties on your assignment.
• So instead, say you're sorry: “I apologize for my late assignment. I know you're busy, and I don’t want to waste your time.”
• “I’m sorry for this late paper, especially because it communicates a lack of care and concern for my grades that I don't feel is accurate.”

• “If I had an extra 48 hours to complete this assignment, I’d be able to fully explore and structure my insights for this term paper.”
• “I would greatly appreciate an extension on this project. With a little more time, I could turn in my very best work and learn even more from this assignment."

• “Last night, my dog had a bar of chocolate without me realizing. I’ve spent the entire evening with her at the vet.”
• "To be entirely honest, I've been dealing with some mental health issues that are seriously affecting my schoolwork."
• If you can, avoid lying. If you're granted an extension and the truth comes out later on, you could face major consequences.

• Don’t say: “Honestly, it was out of my hands entirely. I’m a victim of circumstance, and that’s why my assignment is late.”
• Instead say: “It's true that I didn’t plan for this to happen. That being said, if I’d started earlier, this wouldn’t have been an issue. So I know, ultimately, this is my fault. I take full responsibility.”

• “This isn’t like me, and in the future, I promise to do better.”
• “I take my schoolwork very seriously. If it weren’t for my dog’s illness, I would have made getting this assignment in my top priority.”

Sample Emails

Why You Should Email Your Professor About Late Work

• Policies around extensions differ from school to school, but by writing an A+ email, you can only help your chances.
• Generally, professors only give you an extension under extenuating circumstances, like a major accident. They're going to be less inclined to extend an assignment if you had competing priorities, like work.
• Professors are people too, and they want to help! Especially if you don’t have a history of late work, when you plead your case, they may be more forgiving than you’d expect.

• Especially if you had a major, unforeseen factor pop up in the final moments before submitting your assignment, you may be able to explain and limit your punishment.

• By offering a respectful and honest apology for your late assignment, you can improve your relationship with your professor, earn their respect, and possibly limit your late assignment’s penalties.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://dean.williams.edu/files/2010/09/Guide-to-Emailing-Professors-1.pdf
• ↑ https://advising.yalecollege.yale.edu/how-write-email-your-instructor
• ↑ https://studentaffairs.loyno.edu/health-counseling/university-counseling-center/news-ucc/emailing-your-professor-tips-tricks-health
• ↑ https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-an-extension/
• ↑ https://www.makemyassignments.com/blog/how-to-complete-your-assignments-before-the-deadline/
• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2019/09/23/tips-handling-missed-deadline-opinion

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Late Assignments – A Complete College Student’s Guide

As semester assignments begin to accumulate, students can often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they might be facing. When deadlines from various classes begin to coincide, it can be all too easy to end up with late work. This is a common experience for many students, and it is important to understand the consequences of turning in late assignments. 

The ability to turn in late work will vary from professor to professor. Many will accept late work with a penalty, while others will only accept it if you have made a special arrangement beforehand. It is important to understand the policy for each of your classes to be successful. 

In the rest of this article, we will take a closer look at late work policies in different college classrooms. We will see some typical examples from professors as well as the reasons behind these different policies. We will also see how to ask your professor for an extension if you feel like you cannot complete an assignment on time. 

Do Professors Accept Late Work?

Professors do accept late work, but they tend to have different policies when it comes to accepting work and awarding credit. Even if it is late, professors usually prefer that students complete the assignment so that they will stay engaged with the material and the learning process.

However, professors usually will assign consequences for late work. If your professor accepts late assignments, he or she might do so with some amount of point dedication. The system for these penalties will depend on your specific professor.

You will need to consult your syllabus or your class policies to understand the consequences of turning in a late assignment for each of your professors. 

This deduction may increase the later the assignment is, such as a 10% loss of points each day that it is late. Or you may find that if you submit the assignment even a minute after it is due, it can only receive 50% credit. 

These penalties may depend on the size and importance of the assignment as well. 

If you can submit a late assignment, even with a points deduction, earning some credit is often better than earning no credit at all. Even though it can be painful to submit a fully complete assignment and know that it can only earn up to 50% of the total possible points, this is still better than earning a zero for that particular assignment. 

Extenuating Circumstances and Emergencies

Professors may be willing to make exceptions for late assignments in extenuating circumstances and serious emergencies. However, be prepared to show documentation if this applies to you. 

If you had a severe illness, a death in the family, or other emergencies, consult with your professor about what documentation they may need to verify your situation.

Professors ask for proof not because they don’t believe you but often as a way to make sure students won’t try to take advantage of the system in place when there are real emergencies. If these circumstances apply to you, you may be able to submit an assignment late without receiving the penalties that usually apply to late work. 

Other Extensions and Exceptions

Depending on your professor, you may be able to contact them in advance if you know you won’t be able to make your assignment deadline, which does not usually mean the night before the assignment is due. 

It is more likely your professor needs to hear from you at least a week in advance.

If you have a serious reason why you won’t be able to make the anticipated deadline, some professors are open to making special arrangements with responsible students. Others will not be so open to this, as they will see it as your responsibility to arrange your time and complete your tasks. 

You may get a feel from other students who have already had this professor whether or not it’s possible to arrange extensions. You may also encounter a limit to these extensions, such as professors who will give you one special extension per semester but are not open to any more extensions than that.

Can a Professor Refuse a Late Assignment?

If you are not facing extenuating circumstances with documented proof, professors can refuse a late assignment. It will depend on the professor, as many will accept late assignments with a penalty. It is important to check with each professor to understand the policy. 

You may find that some professors are very strict on their policies to accept assignments only if they are on time. While the inflexibility of their policy might feel alarming to students, most professors have well-intentioned reasons for how they choose to conduct their class. 

Professors can understand that students are facing a lot of challenges and may even be willing to make exceptions in extreme circumstances. However, professors are also trying to prepare students for life after college that will certainly involve strict deadlines without much room for flexibility. 

If a professor allows a student to hand in assignments or ask for extensions after the due date, they may feel the students in their classroom are drifting apart in terms of cohesion.  Assignments typically correspond with the topics being covered in class, and their due dates reflect the timeline in which students should be processing and applying the information.

If you have half of the class sticking to the schedule and the other half of the class drifting behind, the professor’s job of teaching the collective group of students suddenly becomes much more challenging. 

It is no longer a cohesive whole but a fragmented group with some students hungry for the new information while others have not yet internalized last week’s material. 

Professors have designed their lectures and class structures carefully and usually with years of experience in applying them. 

The lessons they have to teach will build on each other ( source ). If students have holes in their foundational knowledge because they haven’t yet completed the assignments, they will struggle to absorb the new information as well.

This leads to a downward trend in the classroom where students simply cannot keep up. To avoid this from happening, professors may choose to stick to strict deadlines to keep their students responsible for the material taught on the timeline that has been designed. 

From the student’s experience as well, the class can start to feel overwhelming, and the assignments can become a burden. 

As assignments begin to accumulate, students may need to rush through them just to get them done before the end of the semester. This style of working does not help students enjoy the learning process or get the most out of the classes they are taking. 

However, even for professors with strict policies, the sooner you can talk to them about any issues you are experiencing, the better. Conversations about extensions after the deadline has passed may not be welcomed by the same professor who is willing to make a special arrangement with you a week or two before the deadline arrives.

How To Ask Professor To Accept a Late Assignment

If you know you won’t be able to make a set deadline, it is best to contact your professor as early as possible. 

The sooner you realize your limitations and express them, the more responsible you will seem like a student, and the more likely your professor may be to make a special arrangement for you. 

Professors have heard every excuse imaginable as to why an assignment wasn’t handed in when it should have been. Their sympathy may be low when contacted with one of these excuses after the fact. 

You are better off contacting them before the deadline has passed, if possible. 

It is also best to be honest and take responsibility for the fact that you will not complete your work on time. This is also preferable for many professors than to be told excuses and avoid taking the responsibility that the situation requires.

If it’s possible to meet with your professor in person, this is ideal. 

Try to stop by during their office hours, if possible, because it will show that you are putting in the effort and demonstrating that you are engaged in the class. They might see that you are really trying your best and that you simply have a conflict that requires a little extra time to complete an assignment properly. 

If it’s not possible to meet with your professor in person, sending an email is also a common practice for students needing to discuss deadlines. 

However, if you’re writing an email to stall and try to buy yourself more time, your professor will likely see right through this tactic. If you write to your professor claiming that the assignment is done, but you are wondering if you can still submit it, you should be ready to back up your claim.

If it’s possible to attach the assignment to the document or provide a link where the professor can see the assignment, that will go a long way in bolstering your credibility. Many times students will write that the assignment is complete when it is not, hoping they will have it done by the time the professor responds to the email. 

To get a college professor’s perspective on excuses and honesty in asking about late assignments, you can check out this video on Youtube:

How To Compose an Email to Your Professor

Keep your emails short and to the point while being respectful and taking responsibility for your lateness. Avoid blaming outside circumstances, because you can explain your situation while recognizing the fact that it was you who failed to complete the assignment on time. 

To help you write a respectful and effective email to your professor about a late assignment, you can follow this sample guide:

Sample Email To Professor Regarding Late Assignment

To: ( make sure you have entered your professor’s email correctly here ) Subject: Late Assignment ( you can also write your name and class section here for clarity ) Dear Professor ______, ( use the appropriate name and title for your professor here ) I am writing to you because I am concerned with my ability to meet the deadline for the _______ assignment ( specify the particular assignment here ). I have struggled to manage my time wisely in the last few weeks and really apologize for failing to keep up with the clearly explained structure of the course. ( You can offer your explanation and take responsibility for your mistake here ). If you are willing to accept this assignment past its date, I am prepared to turn it in on ____ ( offer a suggested deadline here ). Or I can come by your office hours tomorrow to discuss this further if that suits you ( offer an alternative to discuss it in person if appropriate ).  Again, I am sorry for this mismanagement on my part. I am doing my best to improve myself in terms of time and assignment management. Sincerely, ( Your name, class, and section information )

Be Respectful

No matter the response your professor gives you, continue to be respectful in your communications. 

Your professor is doing you a favor by negotiating deadlines and trying to help you out in succeeding in the class. Even if you are facing a harsher penalty than you would like, try to take it in stride and remember this lesson for the next set of deadlines you are facing. 

If your professor doesn’t respond to your email, see this guide on what to do .

Final Thoughts

When it comes to turning in late assignments, your ability to do so will depend on your professor and your circumstances. It is best to understand the late assignment policy for each class from the beginning, so you know what kinds of penalties you are facing for late work.

When it comes to contacting your professor, try to do this as early as possible. The sooner you talk to your professor, the more likely he or she is to try to help you. If you are facing a real emergency, remember to communicate this and provide any supporting documentation.

Recommended Reading:

• My Professor Thinks I Cheated: Confronting the Accusation
• Can Professors Drop Students? This May Surprise You!
• Do Professors Bump Up Grades?

Emily is an engineer at a Fortune 100 company. Her degree is in Chemical Engineering with minors in Mathematics and Chemistry. She completed 4 internships in college and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2020. She is from Texas and currently lives in Seattle, WA. Emily loves hiking, traveling, and playing guitar. She is a very proud dog mom to her fur baby, Oliver.

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How does Gradescope handle late assignment submissions?

Updated 2 years ago

When creating a  student-uploaded assignment or programming assignment , you can check “allow late submissions” and set the due date as well as the “late due date.”

If you allow late submissions, students will see both the “due date” as well as the “late due date” for the assignment in their Gradescope dashboard. ( Submitting an assignment )

If you choose not to allow late submissions, students will only see the due date. Instructors and TAs are able to upload submissions on behalf of students after the deadline from the Manage Submissions page by clicking “Upload submission” in the bottom action bar.

Time late will be displayed for late assignments on the grading interface (in days and hours) and on the Download Grades spreadsheet (in  HH:MM:SS  format). ( Exporting grades )

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Late submissions.

If you miss the deadline for submission of assignment 1 or 2, and still want to submit an assignment, you must do a late submission . Late submissions will be open up to 7 days past the due date.

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Failure to follow this procedure may result in a fail result for the practical work not supplied, and hence possibly a fail result for the entire course. None of the following reasons is considered valid for late submission of assessed materials:

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I Was a Skeptic of the Stormy Daniels Prosecution. I Was Wrong.

The prosecution of donald trump starting in new york this week is on firm legal ground..

When Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought criminal charges against Donald Trump in 2023, I was highly skeptical of his decision. It seemed at the time that other indictments would soon follow, and that they would rest on far firmer legal ground than this one. Over the past year, though, I have realized that my initial doubts about Bragg’s indictment were misplaced. It now seems clear that Trump’s New York trial, slated to begin this week, will be the former president’s only criminal trial before the November election. The other three strong indictments against him in other jurisdictions have unfortunately been delayed by a corrupt judge , a foot-dragging Supreme Court , and a district attorney’s questionable conduct in an already complex case . This, combined with Bragg’s excellent pretrial briefing, has substantially strengthened the case for this prosecution. It is important to American democracy that Trump be forced to defend at least some of his alleged criminal conduct before a jury of his peers in advance of Election Day. And there is no reason why this shouldn’t be the case in which he’s compelled to do it. I am now fully onboard.

Start with the facts: Shortly before the 2016 election, Trump wanted to kill a story about his alleged affair with Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress. So he allegedly directed his longtime fixer Michael Cohen to pay off Daniels, through a shell company, for her silence. Afterward, Trump funneled $420,000 to Cohen in installments. But he allegedly concealed the payments by listing them as legal expenses for a retainer that did not exist.

Last year, I was uncertain whether this scheme, while sordid, rose to the level of a felony offense. I am now convinced that, if proved that he took these actions, it surely does. The falsification of business records is, by itself, a misdemeanor under New York law, but it’s a felony when it’s done with the “intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.” In his indictment , Bragg claims that Trump lied about the payments with the intent to violate election law, which is what elevates the crime to a felony. Initially, I was suspicious of this theory; what election law, exactly, was the former president attempting to violate? The district attorney’s initial statement of facts was hazy on this crucial point, raising the possibility that he couldn’t tie the underlying fraud to a state or federal statute.

Turns out he could. Bragg has argued, convincingly, that the former president intended to violate at least two election laws—one state, one federal. First, Bragg asserted that Trump and Cohen ran afoul of the Federal Election Campaign Act by making unlawful campaign contributions (in the form of a payoff) at the direction of a candidate (that is, Trump). Cohen already pleaded guilty for this very act in federal court, so it is hardly a stretch to accuse Trump of intending to break the law by participating in the crime. Second, Bragg argued that Trump ran afoul of a New York election law that forbids any conspiracy “to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means.” The district attorney claimed that Trump intended to violate this statute by committing fraud in order to secure his own victory in 2016.

There is nothing especially creative about these theories; they are not an example of prosecutors stretching the law to its breaking point so it can fit over the facts of a questionable case. The application of both federal and state election codes, and their interplay with the underlying violation of New York’s business records law, is straightforward. Really, the only half-plausible argument that Trump could mount in opposition was that the Federal Election Campaign Act somehow preempted the use of New York’s own statutes to punish election-related record-keeping fraud, meaning he would be liable only for misdemeanor record-keeping violations. Two different judges rejected this claim: Juan Merchan, who’s overseeing the state trial, and Alvin K. Hellerstein, who shot down Trump’s short-lived play to remove the whole case to federal court.

This outcome is a testament to the strength of both Bragg’s case and his office’s legal skills. The district attorney’s briefing in opposition to Trump’s legal objections was masterful. And Merchan’s eventual order largely adopting the district attorney’s reasoning proved lethal to Trump’s relentless efforts to undermine the legitimacy and integrity of the case. The judge had no patience for the former president’s frivolous arguments and articulated Bragg’s theory of the case with clarity and resolve. On the eve of the trial, it is now apparent that the prosecutors are on firm legal ground. They have effectively neutralized Trump’s plan to kill the case before it can be tried on the facts.

All of which leads to the second, more practical reason I was wrong to doubt Bragg’s indictment: I thought any trial Trump faced before 2024 should be about the election. This case, however, is about the election—albeit the one in 2016, not 2020. This distinction matters, but not nearly enough to undermine the wisdom of the New York prosecution.

Obviously, Trump’s criminality during and after the 2020 election, including his work to overturn the outcome through an insurrection, is more serious than the Stormy Daniels payout. Much more serious; no debate there. It would be ideal if Trump faced trial for these alleged offenses first, because they marked a historic and devastating assault on democracy, culminating in an act of shocking violence. He deserves to be held accountable for these actions in open court, by a jury of his peers, before he has another chance to stage a coup. But thanks to Trump’s persistent efforts to run out the clock—too often indulged by SCOTUS—it’s now almost inconceivable that he will face such a trial before it’s time to vote again.

What’s left, then, is this case. And despite Republicans’ efforts to dismiss it as some sideshow about a past affair and a few mislabeled checks, it is indeed about elections: specifically, who has to follow the rules, and who gets to flout them. Trump’s bedrock belief is that he need not follow the rules that govern everybody else. He was operating under this credo when he allegedly funneled the cash to keep Daniels quiet so he could eke out a win in 2016. Other candidates, including Hillary Clinton, followed the laws, including contribution limits and disclosure requirements. Trump allegedly defied them without a second thought. Bragg’s prosecution stands for the simple proposition that a rich and powerful man like Trump cannot disregard his legal obligations as a candidate for office in a constitutional democracy. He cannot avoid consequences by asserting, under the thin guise of various legal doctrines, that he is forever immune from his day of judgment because he was once president, and he is rich.

Merchan appears to grasp that this basic principle is at stake here—another, final reason why this case has become so crucial: New York’s judiciary has proved less susceptible to political interference than the federal courts. In the classified records case, Trump drew his own appointee, Judge Aileen Cannon, who has enabled his egregious delays at every turn. In the Jan. 6 case, he drew the left-leaning Judge Tanya Chutkan, whose hard-driving work to keep the trial on schedule was derailed by unjustifiable meddling from the U.S. Supreme Court. (And the Georgia prosecution over Jan. 6 was always far too complicated to go to trial this year, even before the Fani Willis situation exploded.) What’s left is the New York court system, which has defied partisan pressure, spurned dilatory tactics, and held firm to the concept of speedy justice. My sense last year that a federal trial would somehow be more legitimate or nonpartisan was just plain wrong. A federal judiciary in the grasp of Aileen Cannon, Clarence Thomas , and the like cannot possibly be any more legitimate than New York’s courts.

There is no guarantee that Trump will be convicted in Manhattan. As always, we should trust jurors to take their oaths seriously, to serve impartially, to determine without fear or favor whether the prosecution has proved every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The deck is not stacked against Trump—who, like any other American, will be judged by members of the community where he committed his alleged misdeed. He may be convicted, or acquitted, or face a mistrial; what’s most important, at this point, is that he stands trial now . November is looming, creating a whole new set of opportunities for criminal interference with the election. Thanks to Bragg and Merchan, Trump will have to answer for at least one of his alleged past crimes before he has the chance to commit new ones. And that is a victory in itself.