Short Decisions

[agh423]

This may be a loaded question, but here it goes:

Do adcomms absolutely not start evaluating your application until EVERYTHING is in? Including LOR's? I completed applications, transcripts, SOP, scores, etc. for all the schools I applied to about 2 months ago although ALL LOR's didn't arrive until about 2 weeks ago.

That being said, a school I applied to has already made a decision with the results in the mail. Is this a good or bad thing?

Thanks!

[repatriate]

This may be a loaded question, but here it goes:

Do adcomms absolutely not start evaluating your application until EVERYTHING is in? Including LOR's? I completed applications, transcripts, SOP, scores, etc. for all the schools I applied to about 2 months ago although ALL LOR's didn't arrive until about 2 weeks ago.

That being said, a school I applied to has already made a decision with the results in the mail. Is this a good or bad thing?

Thanks!

As with everything, this probably varies by department. I know people on here have mentioned that some departments won't look at incomplete files. Personally, I've heard from two POIs who mentioned when asking for an interview that they didn't have my letters and asked for them to be sent (the letters were in but not attached to my file), suggesting that at least some departments will start evaluating applications before receiving letters. Whether they would make a decision without them may well be a question with a different answer.

[HOUBMA]

It could just be that they received your file and processed it quickly. I was accepted to my M.A. program 3 weeks after applying, so I think it could be good or bad... Dont worry! Good luck!

[fuzzylogician]

It depends. The 'definitely yes' and 'definitely no' applicants usually hear sooner than the 'maybe's, but there is no obvious pattern to how long it takes a particular department to make its decisions and/or to how it chooses to notify the applicants of the decision.

[murpstud]

My first acceptance made their decision the same day they received my application. The letter was dated the same day. It shocked me, but it was an awesome feeling I have to say!

[rising_star]

I got both rejections and acceptances quickly so it's hard to say.