When I talked to Lauren she confirmed that special programs should hear back first - you'll also get a notification either by phone call or by email, but it might post on Wolverine Access first, so you can check there too.
I just talked to an admissions person who said they're probably going to start releasing decisions soon. It sounds like they go through applications for the special program candidates first because there are certain deadlines those students have to meet, and then after that is completed they start looking at the normal program applicants.