Anyone else having trouble when they check on their applications?

[neuropsych76]

So I turned in all my applications and all the parts for each application have been sent in. The only thing I can do now is compulsively check my email and check to make sure the schools received all my materials. Well luckily, the December 1st deadlines received all my stuff but one school from December 15th and now a couple other January 1st's haven't received all my materials even though I know they have been sent weeks beforehand.

Am I just really unlucky or are applications just not updated online as accurately/quickly as they can be? For example one school had my status as unpaid but I sent an email and despite no reply it was corrected. Several other schools have not received my transcripts and/or one LOR.

I'd hate to not be considered because a piece of my application was lost somehow...

[fuzzylogician]

Dec 15 schools and definitely Jan 1 schools will still be sifting through the all materials that have been sent to them. Some schools take a long(!) time to update their online systems, and some never do; some of my schools never updated all of my LORs when in fact they were all received. If you're unsure try calling or sending an email, but be aware that some things may not have been filed yet.

[neuropsych76]

Dec 15 schools and definitely Jan 1 schools will still be sifting through the all materials that have been sent to them. Some schools take a long(!) time to update their online systems, and some never do; some of my schools never updated all of my LORs when in fact they were all received. If you're unsure try calling or sending an email, but be aware that some things may not have been filed yet.

Thank you for your reply. I guess it's worth sending a potentially annoying email to make sure the material(s) have been correctly received?

[eklavya]

Thank you for your reply. I guess it's worth sending a potentially annoying email to make sure the material(s) have been correctly received?

I don't think they'll take the emails as annoying. Most of my schools provide online system of checking the materials (like yours). Still, I sent emails to all graduate secretaries just to make sure about everything. I think all of them replied within a day or two and gave me the appropriate updates.

[2am_frosty]

Thank you for your reply. I guess it's worth sending a potentially annoying email to make sure the material(s) have been correctly received?

hey, I am a neuro applicant as well and i've been experiencing the same thing.

i doubt most schools will find a polite email regarding admissions questions to be annoying. i know some adcom people will directly e-mail the student if they have not received all their documents (UCSF emailed me about GRE scores, UIUC about transcripts). Vanderbilt on the other hand has not responded to my email (I asked them if they received my transcript because I sent it in november but it still says that it hasn't been received) altogether. i uploaded an unofficial copy in the "additional documents" section.

i think that most schools are just overwhelmed with the number of applicants and documents they have to sort through.... but it never hurts to double check. good luck to you!

PS- what schools/programs did you apply to?

[neuropsych76]

hey, I am a neuro applicant as well and i've been experiencing the same thing.

i doubt most schools will find a polite email regarding admissions questions to be annoying. i know some adcom people will directly e-mail the student if they have not received all their documents (UCSF emailed me about GRE scores, UIUC about transcripts). Vanderbilt on the other hand has not responded to my email (I asked them if they received my transcript because I sent it in november but it still says that it hasn't been received) altogether. i uploaded an unofficial copy in the "additional documents" section.

i think that most schools are just overwhelmed with the number of applicants and documents they have to sort through.... but it never hurts to double check. good luck to you!

PS- what schools/programs did you apply to?

yeah neuroscience!

No one has emailed me saying that something has not been received. I agree, I think schools are overwhelmed right now but it is concerning to see something you know was sent appear to be not received. I just hope my application doesn't get thrown away based off a misplaced/late document. Double checking seems to help make sure nothing is lost though.

PS I updated my signature

[neuropsych76]

So my letter that was lost was actually sent ( I thought it was). But now it is going to be over 2 weeks late past the deadline... Is my application trash now? I already told the secretary that the letter might have been lost and another is on the way but I was just wondering how this affects my chances. It is something totally beyond my control but still, one of my application materials was very late so I'm guessing this can't be looked upon favorably.

[TheDude]

I was told in all of my automatic follow up emails from admissions people that they would contact me if something was missing. So far I have been lucky and only Harvard has been missing a transcript. They couldn't have been nicer in follow up emails. Is this not the case for other people? Most my applications were done on the Embark system and once you hit submit you can't really preview anything.

[neuropsych76]

I was told in all of my automatic follow up emails from admissions people that they would contact me if something was missing. So far I have been lucky and only Harvard has been missing a transcript. They couldn't have been nicer in follow up emails. Is this not the case for other people? Most my applications were done on the Embark system and once you hit submit you can't really preview anything.

Not for me at least. Most of my applications are "self managed" so I have to make sure everything is there. When I contact them, they have been nice but they never tell me if they received everything.

[fuzzylogician]

So my letter that was lost was actually sent ( I thought it was). But now it is going to be over 2 weeks late past the deadline... Is my application trash now? I already told the secretary that the letter might have been lost and another is on the way but I was just wondering how this affects my chances. It is something totally beyond my control but still, one of my application materials was very late so I'm guessing this can't be looked upon favorably.

Schools are usually tolerant when it comes to late LORs. Professors get more leeway with being late than the applicants themselves. In addition, today is the first day everyone will start coming back from their holiday break and even though the deadline was two weeks ago, I doubt adcoms have started looking at apps yet. Don't worry. In all likelihood your chances haven't been affected at all by this mishap.

Edited January 3, 2011 by fuzzylogician

[kotov]

I remember a story from a friend of mine who didn't get a letter there until almost April (I think at UNC, and he was promptly deferred).

Most of my applications are to places that still insist on hard copies by snail-mail, for whatever reason, so I get all the fun and nervousness that that entails. The nebulous address line on my school's transcript-sending site is unnerving, as is a school not having posted that it's received your GRE scores and transcripts when you sent them a month ago and the deadline is tomorrow. Oh well. I'm just kind of assuming that everything is working out as it's supposed to and trying not to think about it, because it's out of my hands at this point.

[neuropsych76]

Schools are usually tolerant when it comes to late LORs. Professors get more leeway with being late than the applicants themselves. In addition, today is the first day everyone will start coming back from their holiday break and even though the deadline was two weeks ago, I doubt adcoms have started looking at apps yet. Don't worry. In all likelihood your chances haven't been affected at all by this mishap.

Thank you for your reassuring words The letter did just get there so at least they have it now. It figures it was probably my strongest letter too...

[neuropsych76]

I remember a story from a friend of mine who didn't get a letter there until almost April (I think at UNC, and he was promptly deferred).

Most of my applications are to places that still insist on hard copies by snail-mail, for whatever reason, so I get all the fun and nervousness that that entails. The nebulous address line on my school's transcript-sending site is unnerving, as is a school not having posted that it's received your GRE scores and transcripts when you sent them a month ago and the deadline is tomorrow. Oh well. I'm just kind of assuming that everything is working out as it's supposed to and trying not to think about it, because it's out of my hands at this point.

I think I would go insane if I couldn't make sure that my materials arrived to the schools I applied to. It might be worth sending an email to make sure they got your stuff!