Ms. Smith fills out an application on 3/5/2018 but faxes it in on 3/7/2018. What is the application date used for her?

The correct answer is based on the understanding of application processing timelines and the significance of the submission date. For cases like Ms. Smith’s, the application date is generally recognized as the date the completed application is received by the agency or entity, not merely when it was filled out. In this scenario, although Ms. Smith filled out the application on March 5, 2018, the important factor is when it was actually faxed in, which was on March 7, 2018.

Typically, in many administrative processes, the application date corresponds to the date the application is submitted, as this is when the agency takes action to begin processing the application. Therefore, using March 7, 2018, as the application date accurately reflects the timeline of Ms. Smith's application submission.

The last date, March 18, 2018, might relate to some other administrative deadline or action, but it is not relevant to determining the application date.