Why does the review take so long time this year?

[amehe]

I just checked the application status of the universities I had applied. Why are they still under review? So strange. I sent e-mail to UCSD to check several times, there is no any response from them. It is really painful to wait in this way...

[fuzzylogician]

I can only guess, but I assume that the difficult financial situation many universities have found themselves in is forcing them to accept less applicants than in previous years, making the selection process that much more difficult. Some places I know aren't even sure if they can take on new students this year, or how much funding they can offer them. Apparently some schools won't know what funding packages they can offer their admits until later in the year, which could be another hindrance in the process.

Another possibility is that the programs you applied to have made their decisions and just haven't notified you. In that case, you have either been placed on an unofficial waitlist, or you've been rejected.

[frankdux]

i was rejected from UCSD this past week (mathematics). although i can't tell you for sure, i wouldn't count on an acceptance at this point in time. at least first round acceptances, and possibly second round acceptances had to have gone out by now. and those are probably more important than sending out the rejections - and you know there have got to be hundreds in every major department. hell, its SAN DIEGO. think how many more applications that school gets just because its in san diego and not necessarily because the research is a perfect fit for an applicant. they probably get an equal, if not bigger, pile of applicants to weed through than the ivies.

of course i could be wrong and i do wish you the best of luck, i just wouldn't recommend you keeping your hopes up.

[amehe]

I finally get one admission from USC. I am very happy that I finally get some response. My god, the process is so painful after so long waiting.

As for UCSD, some one get offer at the end of Jan and some one get rejected at the beginning of Feb for that program. So I think I am in the waiting list and maybe they are waiting for money.

Thank you for your guys' reply and hope everyone get their dreaming offer.