T14 Schools Decision Wait Times Forum

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wreed

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T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by wreed » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:05 pm

Hi Friends,

I was wondering if people could give thoughts/reputations of top schools' history of giving quick decisions vs. waiting a long time to issue any decisions. I know it depends on the strength of the applicant, but let's talk hypothetically for a strong applicant who will get accepted. For example, I know people get accepted to UVA sometimes within 3 days of applying and I see plenty of people on LSN that have been accepted already this admission cycle. However, then you look at a school like Michigan where no one is reporting a decision yet on LSN even though they surely have gotten some very strong applicants already. I know I could go into each individual "XXX Applicant Class of 2021" page and get the vibe on it, but how about let's consolidate that info! What do people know?

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cavalier1138

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:38 pm

It's not wholly dependent on the strength of the applicant. Some schools literally do not start looking at apps until a week or two from now, and many don't start sending out decisions until after Thanksgiving.

But this is a pointless exercise (don't worry, it happens every year). You're going to hear when you hear, and you shouldn't be making any decisions until April.

wreed

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by wreed » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:40 pm

Right. So which schools have you heard don't start looking until a week or two regardless of applicant? That's all I'm asking. Or if it happens every year, I guess I'll look for last year's thread.

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cavalier1138

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:42 pm

wreed wrote:Right. So which schools have you heard don't start looking until a week or two regardless of applicant? That's all I'm asking. Or if it happens every year, I guess I'll look for last year's thread.
The point is that no one knows for sure when schools start looking or start sending out decisions. Your confirmation email from one school might even tell you when they start looking at apps for the year.

But the real point is that this is a useless exercise. You're just creating more anxiety for yourself.

wreed

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by wreed » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:46 pm

So for someone who is a strong applicant to UVA and Michigan, but works full time and only has time to finish one of those applications by the end of the month of October, you think it is pointless info to know that UVA is looking now and sending acceptances and Michigan doesn't start looking until November? Don't you think info like that would help an applicant prioritize their time? IDK like I see your point that a lot of it is guess work but isn't that what TLS is good for? Crowdsourcing info?

I didn't see people getting up this up in arms when everybody predicted a -9 LSAT curve.....

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Platopus

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Platopus » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:49 pm

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Last edited by Platopus on Sun Dec 17, 2017 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Keilz

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Keilz » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:51 pm

This is my experience from last year, I applied to schools from very late Sept up until Thanksgiving. My memory is fuzzier for some schools than others. Overall takeaway was like half of the schools' first rounds of acceptances was mid-Jan, and first rounds of rejections come later. I think I heard back from like 4 schools in one week in mid Jan, after MLK jr day.

Chicago (I applied late Sept): Heard back in Jan, which was their first round of offers. Admits, WL, and rejects all on same day
Columbia (Oct): First people got WL/admitted in Jan. I didn't hear back with my WL until last week of April. Denials are kind of rare so idk when those are first sent.
NYU (Oct): First people got in in Nov, rejects first came out in Dec? (I think), Waitlist didn't come out until like April 26th or something, and first round of waitlist admits was mid May
Penn (Oct): First people heard back for admits/denials in Jan or late December, waitlist came a few rounds later, I was WL in Jan
Michigan (Thanksgiving): Idk when people first started hearing back, maybe November, but I got in in December, right before Christmas
UVA (Thanksgiving): in the beginning of the season they admit people right away, then they become a normal time frame for November applicants. I got my interview invite on MLK jr day and got in a couple days after.
Duke (sept): I got in within ten days via PT
Cornell (Oct 10): I was one of the first RD admits I think. I got in on Election Day (Nov 8), a couple days after my interview, which was the first round of interview invites sent.
Northwestern (around Halloween): First acceptances mid-Jan. I think waitlists are later.
Berkeley (Thanksgiving): Got in mid-Jan. A few rounds of acceptances come before that. There are cycles of "faculty review: which are like holds, with specified deadlines. For the later applicants there were people waiting to hear back up until April. I was rejected by them two cycles ago in Feb, after I applied in December lol
Georgetown (early Nov): Got in early December
GW (October): Everyone first heard back mid-November

wreed

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by wreed » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:53 pm

Because if an applicant can get accepted to UVA in 4 days because they are reviewing applications now then they might decide not to waste $130 applying to UCLA, $110 to Northwestern, etc.

Just a thought. This is all the reason I'm asking though it's good to hear what others think.

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Keilz » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:53 pm

I disagree with the other posters. I really liked knowing when I would hear back so I could manage my expectations. I also sent in my Duke app before my others because I was PT and wanted to see if I got in before applying everywhere else, so I could have some more confidence in my application materials before sending them to all the other schools.

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Keilz

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Keilz » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:55 pm

wreed wrote:Because if an applicant can get accepted to UVA in 4 days because they are reviewing applications now then they might decide not to waste $130 applying to UCLA, $110 to Northwestern, etc.

Just a thought. This is all the reason I'm asking though it's good to hear what others think.
This is true. I didn't apply to UCLA after getting into Duke. However, depending on your stats, you should still apply broadly for scholarship negotiation. Also, you should have fee waivers.

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cavalier1138

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Oct 12, 2017 7:58 pm

Keilz wrote:I really liked knowing when I would hear back so I could manage my expectations.
But the problem is that most people "manage their expectations" by flipping out and slipping into a deep depression when they don't hear back from a school on the day that they expect decisions to go out. It's a pointless exercise in psyching yourself out, which is a totally normal thing to do. It just isn't productive.

OP: Applying now is no different from applying two weeks from now; that goes for every school. If your concern is application fees, ask for waivers from the schools or LSAC.

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Keilz » Thu Oct 12, 2017 8:02 pm

cavalier1138 wrote:
Keilz wrote:I really liked knowing when I would hear back so I could manage my expectations.
But the problem is that most people "manage their expectations" by flipping out and slipping into a deep depression when they don't hear back from a school on the day that they expect decisions to go out. It's a pointless exercise in psyching yourself out, which is a totally normal thing to do. It just isn't productive.

OP: Applying now is no different from applying two weeks from now; that goes for every school. If your concern is application fees, ask for waivers from the schools or LSAC.
I can attest to the deep depression you go into, but I think that's just a result of being on this site.
If you weren't following this forum and were blissfully unaware that other applicants were getting accepted while you're still waiting in April, that would be the least stressful way to go about the process. But, OP is on the board and is already looking at decision timeframes - they're going to know when people are getting accepted and they're still waiting.

OP: Submit your applications and block this website until April. Not even kidding lol

edit: for example, for NYU, I knew acceptances only came on Tuesdays. Therefore, I would stop worrying Wed-Monday. Tuesday sucked though.

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Platopus

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Re: T14 Schools Decision Wait Times

Post by Platopus » Thu Oct 12, 2017 8:09 pm

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