Complaining

[angela4]

At the risk of sounding whiny, does anyone else think it's inconsiderate when schools don't send out decisions until end of March/early April? I would really like to start comparing options and making decisions, but one of my schools is waiting until the end of the month to notify anyone of acceptances...and longer for waitlist notices. It makes me wonder if the school does not prioritize the students' needs and won't throughout the program.

[SLPsingballs]

9 minutes ago, angela4 said:

At the risk of sounding whiny, does anyone else think it's inconsiderate when schools don't send out decisions until end of March/early April? I would really like to start comparing options and making decisions, but one of my schools is waiting until the end of the month to notify anyone of acceptances...and longer for waitlist notices. It makes me wonder if the school does not prioritize the students' needs and won't throughout the program.

About 2/3rds of the programs I have applied to won't let me know until that timeframe.  The waiting is not fun.  However, we don't know the reasons why, maybe they're actually focusing on their current students and teaching them right now.  Or maybe they're lazy (hah!  Totally likely).  We just don't know.  Go ahead and complain here- it's what the forum is for.  I just wouldn't begin to guess why the schools have set up timeframes the way they do.  The anxiety will be over soon.  Best of luck!

[angela4]

2 minutes ago, SLPsingballs said:

About 2/3rds of the programs I have applied to won't let me know until that timeframe.  The waiting is not fun.  However, we don't know the reasons why, maybe they're actually focusing on their current students and teaching them right now.  Or maybe they're lazy (hah!  Totally likely).  We just don't know.  Go ahead and complain here- it's what the forum is for.  I just wouldn't begin to guess why the schools have set up timeframes the way they do.  The anxiety will be over soon.  Best of luck!

Thank you! I guess the world doesn't revolve around me after all :). Best of luck with your schools! 

[zurako]

Not sure about the schools you applied to, but the majority of my schools have a 2/1 deadline, so taking two months to review 500+ application seems reasonable to me (especially if they also conduct interviews). With that said, I am frustrated by all the waiting and just wish I can get all my decisions so I can decide too! 

[kayyyyy_]

I don't understand how everywhere varies, and even with application requirements. I was just talking to my grandmother about this. Why do some schools require interviews and some don't? I almost with there was a worldwide deadline for schools (instead of December- March) and a worldwide notification (like they have to let us know by this time). 

For me personally, it makes me question the quality.. why are you waiting until the last minute to notify people that are amazing but COULD say no because they had to accept to a different school. 

[twinguy7]

Just from my experience and the school I went to, It seems most schools are busy with their current students and teaching classes, etc.  Most schools go over applications during their spring break which is why notices vary by school.  Spring break is the only time they have free to take the needed time to look over applicants, etc.  And just think, if your teaching, grading papers, answering students emails, etc. throughout the school year and have a week off for spring break.....  would you wanna take a day or 2 of that break to look over applicant files, etc?  Well they do!  These professors are very busy.  And after they decide on who to send offers to and waitlist offer to, they have to send that information to the department secretary who does all the mailing and emailing most of the time.  Its definitely a crazy process.  And I agree, having gone through it in the past, its just anxiety setting in.  I wanted to know and I wanted to know now!  Thats the society we live in today, information at our finger tips but when it comes to grad school responses it doesn't work that way.  

Hope you all are keeping busy, but I know its more like checking emails, grad cafe and the mailbox as often as possible!  

[angela4]

57 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

For me personally, it makes me question the quality.. 

Thanks so much everyone. I do see all sides of it now. It must be a lot of work to go through ALL of those applications. I would certainly be overwhelmed!

I do agree with kay because I  don't feel that 1-2 weeks is adequate time to really go through your options, get any questions answered about funding etc., and make an informed decision. If we were notified at least one month in advance of April 15, we could make a decision earlier and give people on the waitlist the opportunity to have an offer before the deadline. 

I am lucky that I've already received one acceptance (and I really feel a lot of this is luck!), so I honestly wouldn't use the word anxiety to describe the way I feel about this process (mostly because my brain is too filled up being anxious about other things!). It's more of a pragmatic thing, a concern about the organization and quality of the school. 

Thanks again everyone

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by angela4

[kayyyyy_]

2 minutes ago, angela4 said:

Thanks so much everyone. I do see all sides of it now. It must be a lot of work to go through ALL of those applications. I would certainly be overwhelmed!

I do agree with kay because I  don't feel that 1-2 weeks is adequate time to really go through your options, get any questions answered about funding etc., and make an informed decision. If we were notified at least one month in advance of April 15, we could make a decision earlier and give people on the waitlist the opportunity to have an offer before the deadline. 

I am lucky that I've already received one acceptance, so I honestly wouldn't use the word anxiety to describe the way I feel about this process (mostly because my brain is too filled up being anxious about other things!). It's more of a pragmatic thing, a concern about the organization and quality of the school. 

Thanks again everyone

 

I'm right with you. I've already received an acceptance to my top school so I am accepting that offer but I know there are some people on this website that are waiting for their top offer. One school I applied to said they would notify me late March/ early april for an interview and that just seems SO ridiculous to me. It's just super sucky that the time frames are so different, but it's understandable. Just wish it was all universal.. 

[languagegirl]

I definitely understand hating the waiting game. And it particularly sucks when some schools let you know early while others wait until the end of March but I wouldn't question the quality of the program just yet. Like other people said it is a lot to do and this week is spring break for a lot of places so I imagine most people will be hearing back this week and the next!! 

[angela4]

5 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

I'm right with you. I've already received an acceptance to my top school so I am accepting that offer but I know there are some people on this website that are waiting for their top offer. One school I applied to said they would notify me late March/ early april for an interview and that just seems SO ridiculous to me. It's just super sucky that the time frames are so different, but it's understandable. Just wish it was all universal.. 

I think your idea of having the time frames more standardized is interesting. I know this is different, but it makes me think of match day for medical students going on to their residency. They know exactly when they will find out where they are going. Congratulations on getting an acceptance to your top school!

[angela4]

4 minutes ago, languagegirl said:

I definitely understand hating the waiting game. And it particularly sucks when some schools let you know early while others wait until the end of March but I wouldn't question the quality of the program just yet. Like other people said it is a lot to do and this week is spring break for a lot of places so I imagine most people will be hearing back this week and the next!! 

Thanks languagegirl!

[kayyyyy_]

12 minutes ago, angela4 said:

I think your idea of having the time frames more standardized is interesting. I know this is different, but it makes me think of match day for medical students going on to their residency. They know exactly when they will find out where they are going. Congratulations on getting an acceptance to your top school!

I just honestly feel for waitlist people. This is my 2nd year applying and I was waitlisted and it sucks. It would be a lot easier knowing that you don't have to wait until April 15th, or if you do have to wait until then it's because all schools release there decisions on _____ day, you know? I think it would be a lot less stressful for students. I have removed myself from all waitlists and declined my other acceptance offers because if I was on the waitlist, like last year, i'd want to know sooner rather than later. 

[angela4]

6 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

I just honestly feel for waitlist people. This is my 2nd year applying and I was waitlisted and it sucks. It would be a lot easier knowing that you don't have to wait until April 15th, or if you do have to wait until then it's because all schools release there decisions on _____ day, you know? I think it would be a lot less stressful for students. I have removed myself from all waitlists and declined my other acceptance offers because if I was on the waitlist, like last year, i'd want to know sooner rather than later. 

Totally. There is a lot of (seemingly) unnecessary uncertainty that everyone has to go through.

[Paslp]

I dont necessarily find it inconsiderate for schools to wait that long because at least they are letting you know how long to wait. I DO find it inconsiderate for a school to send out some acceptances early on and then wait WEEKS to notify other accepted/waitlisted students. It sends me on an anxiety trip! I would rather a school wait until the end of the month and release everything to everyone at once. Now im stuck waiting AND wondering if one school is really still reviewing apps or if they are just taking their time sending out waitlists and rejections.  Sorry I just had to get that out. Thanks for the forum Angela4 and congrats on your acceptance!

Edited March 15, 2017 by Paslp

[mbf]

8 minutes ago, Paslp said:

I dont necessarily find it inconsiderate for schools to wait that long because at least they are letting you know how long to wait. I DO find it inconsiderate for a school to send out some acceptances early on and then wait WEEKS to notify other accepted/waitlisted students. It sends me on an anxiety trip! I would rather a school wait until the end of the month and release everything to everyone at once. Now im stuck waiting AND wondering if one school is really still reviewing apps or if they are just taking their time sending out waitlists and rejections.  Sorry I just had to get that out. Thanks for the forum Angela4 and congrats on your acceptance!

This this this

Partially my fault for stalking this forum and results list, but let me know if I'm waitlisted or denied, or if you will have more acceptances to send out!!

[plume]

I have to whine, too. I completely understand why schools cannot tell us all right away. I know they are extremely busy this time of year and they do make it clear that they have until the end of March to let us know. So my venting is really just personal and not about them or their processes.

If I accept my first choice of the schools I am admitted to now, I need to put my time in at work RIGHT NOW. We have a long training period for new employees and I would need to start school this spring. My dad is very sick and I would be moving even further away, so it is important for me to visit him for a little while before I start. However, if I quit now I could not afford to not work all summer waiting for another program to start (and actually, one starts January 2018!). I have been open with my employer and they know my situation, but I still wish this month would move along!

[SleepynotInSeattle]

1 hour ago, mbf said:

This this this

Partially my fault for stalking this forum and results list, but let me know if I'm waitlisted or denied, or if you will have more acceptances to send out!!

I agree!! One of my schools released waitlists but nothing else. I have no clue if I was accepted or denied and no clue when I'll find out. I just wish they'd release everything at once. It would also be nice if schools were upfront about how long it will take to hear anything from them.

[kayyyyy_]

40 minutes ago, plume said:

I have to whine, too. I completely understand why schools cannot tell us all right away. I know they are extremely busy this time of year and they do make it clear that they have until the end of March to let us know. So my venting is really just personal and not about them or their processes.

If I accept my first choice of the schools I am admitted to now, I need to put my time in at work RIGHT NOW. We have a long training period for new employees and I would need to start school this spring. My dad is very sick and I would be moving even further away, so it is important for me to visit him for a little while before I start. However, if I quit now I could not afford to not work all summer waiting for another program to start (and actually, one starts January 2018!). I have been open with my employer and they know my situation, but I still wish this month would move along!

I'm with you for wanting to know for person reasons. I don't like all the what ifs and I'll most likely be relocating across the US so I kinda need to know what's up and start setting that up. 

[plume]

11 minutes ago, kayyyyy_ said:

I'm with you for wanting to know for person reasons. I don't like all the what ifs and I'll most likely be relocating across the US so I kinda need to know what's up and start setting that up. 

Yeah, totally! I'm anxious about the relocation thing, too! It would be nice to know.... 

[jmk]

3 hours ago, Paslp said:

I dont necessarily find it inconsiderate for schools to wait that long because at least they are letting you know how long to wait. I DO find it inconsiderate for a school to send out some acceptances early on and then wait WEEKS to notify other accepted/waitlisted students. It sends me on an anxiety trip! I would rather a school wait until the end of the month and release everything to everyone at once. Now im stuck waiting AND wondering if one school is really still reviewing apps or if they are just taking their time sending out waitlists and rejections.  Sorry I just had to get that out. Thanks for the forum Angela4 and congrats on your acceptance!

I totally agree. I've read on the forums that some schools just don't let you know at all if you were rejected. How frustrating. 

[angela4]

On 3/15/2017 at 1:58 PM, Paslp said:

I dont necessarily find it inconsiderate for schools to wait that long because at least they are letting you know how long to wait. I DO find it inconsiderate for a school to send out some acceptances early on and then wait WEEKS to notify other accepted/waitlisted students. It sends me on an anxiety trip! I would rather a school wait until the end of the month and release everything to everyone at once. Now im stuck waiting AND wondering if one school is really still reviewing apps or if they are just taking their time sending out waitlists and rejections.  Sorry I just had to get that out. Thanks for the forum Angela4 and congrats on your acceptance!

 

Thanks everyone. It's nice to hear others' thoughts about how different schools handle this process. I know we don't know why they do it the way they do, but I'm glad we got to have a discussion about it (and glad I got to vent a little bit). I wish everyone the best of luck with acceptances, and with finding out in a timely manner!

[SLP1719]

Iona College isn't notifying any students until late April or early May. When I inquired and pointed out the April 15th deadline that most other schools seem to abide by, their response was that they take a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and review every single application that is submitted regardless of scores/GPA. I don't see myself turning down an acceptance elsewhere or depositing and forfeiting $500 just to wait to hear back from them two weeks after the April 15 deadline... If I'd have known their late decision date when I applied, I probably would have saved myself the CSDCAS fee and skipped it!

[angela4]

41 minutes ago, SLP1719 said:

Iona College isn't notifying any students until late April or early May. When I inquired and pointed out the April 15th deadline that most other schools seem to abide by, their response was that they take a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and review every single application that is submitted regardless of scores/GPA. I don't see myself turning down an acceptance elsewhere or depositing and forfeiting $500 just to wait to hear back from them two weeks after the April 15 deadline... If I'd have known their late decision date when I applied, I probably would have saved myself the CSDCAS fee and skipped it!

That seems like an odd approach to me. With this approach they may be missing out on some "stronger" applicants who were accepted to several schools and can't/don't want to wait on them to make a decision. (I put stronger in quotes because I think even with a "holistic" approach sometimes the admissions process is just a game of luck).

Edited March 18, 2017 by angela4

[SLP1719]

46 minutes ago, angela4 said:

That seems like an odd approach to me. With this approach they may be missing out on some "stronger" applicants who were accepted to several schools and can't/don't want to wait on them to make a decision. (I put stronger in quotes because I think even with a "holistic" approach sometimes the admissions process is just a game of luck).

Agreed. I attended their open house recently to confirm that this was actually the case, and no applicants will hear a decision before the last week of April. I couldn't believe it! You'd think a new program still in pre-accreditation status would want to notify applicants quickly so that they would have their first pick of great applicants in this competitive field.