Are grad schools typically on time with acceptance or rejection notification?

collegemom3717
Wed, 09 May 2018 17:18:54 +0000

One of my lot went through this process last year. The responses times were all over the map, with a spread of nearly 6 months between the first and last responses. The experience was the same with her pals applying to programs in other subjects. Even the same university varied hugely in responses across departments (with 3-4 month spread between the first department in a given university to respond and the last)

As @PCHope pointed out, grad school decisions are much less structured and more faculty driven than undergrad. The numbers are smaller and the fit matters more. They are also way less punctual than they expect their students to be!

My guess is that, as @PCHope said, she ‘qualified’ but was not in the top tier. April is a big visit month, and they are probably waiting to see who commits and who doesn’t- an informal waiting list. The process is famously opaque.