Is there any subtext here?

[TastyHiHatWork]

So I finally worked up the nerve to call the MA coordinator for a school from which I'm still awaiting a decision.  She said that my application was with the committee and that she's been "turning around" decisions in about 24 hours from when she gets them (The key information for me here is that decisions HAVE gone out).  I should hear by the end of this week or next.

 

That's all well and good, but my pessimism is getting the best of me here.  Being that it's a large MA History program, is it possible that this means they're making rounds of offers based on who they want, or is it safe to say that they're just getting through applications in groups as a matter of process?

[bsharpe269]

ehh I wouldn't read into it. It is hard to know what she means but I wouldn't assume that its a bad sign.

[themmases]

I don't think there's any subtext here.

 

When the committee recommends acceptance, there is other work that coordinators have to do, like letting the graduate college or university know, getting a final decision from them if necessary (if the adcomm just "recommends"), sending out notifications to applicants, etc. If there is other information that gets sent to applicants, like login information or funding details, the coordinator has to request those too if not do them herself. That's what "turning around" almost certainly refers to.

 

Some schools are known for not getting decisions to applicants in a timely manner even after the decision has been made (which is why people get into discussions here about whether to just call and ask), or for the university taking a long time to make acceptance official after the committee's recommendation. The coordinator is telling you that decisions aren't being made and then just piling up in her inbox; if you haven't heard, the decision probably really hasn't been made yet.