How long can you germ a seed?

In a glass of water in a shot glass, how long can you germinate a seed until it wont grow in dirt anymore?
Been having issues with sprouting seeds and trying to figure out best visual point to plant (longer tail the better) but don't know at what point that becomes detremental to growth in the long run... for all I have learned i'm still very much a newbie at germing.

well you dont want to wait too long just a day or two i would think. the point of germinating the seed is to make sure the seed is good so you know it will grow. if that doesnt work. i take a paper towel and fold it up in to a square then i put the seeds in it separated with space between the seeds and i get the paper towel wet and i put it in a plastic sandwich back wrapped up but not tight. then i set it in the window sill or anywhere where the temp gets around 80 degrees and in a day or two i have sprouts

I have taken seeds and droped them in a shot glass and left them in the water for about 1 week.At the end of a week i had about 3/4 of an inch sprouts.I then planted them.A couple took a little longer to break the surface of my medium after planting but i attribute that to the way i layed them in.All came out very nicely
I personally wouldnt let them go that far again but i noticed no ill affects