My, my, my... Forgive me if some of the persons on this thread have offended you with their joking sarcastic nature in regard to the way that UPenn conducts their admissions process. People get stressed and vent. This is life. Now, since you've always been out the outside looking in, please allow me to take you on a quick tour of the psychological angst that is the Penn process...
There are those interviewed, those denied and then there are the others who are contacted via email in early November... My email pretty much said that I wasn't academically competitive and they probably wouldn't ever look at me; but they were going to wait to see what came through with the interviews. Thus, I was well aware that my application was placed into the box marked 'Only interview if the Mayan Apocalypse comes and a last resort is needed'. However, to be strung along until March was just a little much for me when they've had interviews for months now. I really think this is where the problem lies...
Other schools that take a long time to contact applicants start to contact everyone around the same time. However, Penn starts really early and drags it out for months on end... OUTSTANDING applicants are contacted, interviewed and accepted before the holidays. GREAT candidates are contacted, interviewed and judged by early January. GOOD candidates are then contacted and interviewed in January and February. Sure, everyone knows how it goes. So, naturally, when you know you're in the 'other' pile you have this little tiny shred of hope that you cling to. You don't want to allow yourself, but you do it anyway. Because, maybe, by some miracle, they've simply overlooked you. Maybe they will call. Maybe they will give you the chance. But they don't. Thus, there's some stress that comes with watching a host of others be contacted when you haven't heard anything for months.
The people on this thread meant no disrespect to the institution nor the admissions committee. Rather, they were trying to find a way to deal with a stressful situation. Especially the undergrads who are dealing with so much more than just this process - they're lives are changing every second of every day; and all they want to know is whether it's a yes or a no so they can get on with the rest of the nuttiness in their lives and try to map out a future while attempting to do well with what's left with their coursework and not to sucumbe to 'senioritis'. Everyone's got it hard enough without being scolded. Please kindly take your grinchyness elsewhere. Thank you.