Is this a good sign?

[sidneysamson]

I'm not sure what to make of this.  I heard back from Univ. of Washington after I pinged them to ask if they received all of my stuff.
===============================================================================
Dear XXXXXX,

Thank you very much for your application, voicemail message and interest in
our graduate program. The Biostatistics Department forwarded your email
message to me.

Our Department of Statistics Admissions Committee made some offers to PhD
applicants last week and plans to send more offers later this week or early
next week.

I checked your application to our department and noticed that it is still
incomplete. We are waiting for a recommendation from either XXXX XXXXXXX
or XXX XXXXXXX to complete your file. Please let me know how soon you
anticipate for either of these recommendations to be submitted.

Thank you and best wishes,
Ellen
===============================================================================

Does this mean I might be on a shortlist or something?  I would think if they didn't like everything else I would have been rejected already, but I want to see other people's take on this.

Edited January 22, 2013 by sidneysamson

[33andathirdRPM]

It means that you need to get that recommendation letter to them, ASAP.

[Shostakovich]

I think this is a good sign since UW's already released a bunch of rejections and you're not included in that list. Shortlist might be a good guess like you said. Did you only include one recommendation letter with your application? Because their site says applications with 2/3 recommendations is considered complete.

 

From http://www.biostat.washington.edu/pro/faq

 

 

"NOTE: applications with 2 out of 3 recommendation letters will be considered to be complete but it is to your advantage to have all three letters."

[sidneysamson]

Oh I had 2 out of 3 letters submitted.  Applying for stats not biostat. 

[Shostakovich]

Oh I had 2 out of 3 letters submitted.  Applying for stats not biostat. 

 

Ah I see now, the Biostats dept just forwarded your message to the Stats dept. Don't think the Stats dept has rejected anyone yet looking at results.

[cyberwulf]

I wouldn't read anything into this other than they need the letters to review your file. You should submit them ASAP, because they'll probably start looking at applicants soon and you want to be included among the first round of people being reviewed.