We will probably get hundreds of calls in the next few days from people (more parents than students) asking why their status page doesn't show transcripts, recommendations, or SAT scores as received despite the fact that they were sent anywhere from two to fifteen days ago. Inevitably, the application will have been submitted just hours prior.
When credentials arrive for a student who has not yet submitted an application, they get filed in a "holding file" of sorts. We don't create a file for every single item because a good number of the students for whom credentials were sent will never finish their applications. So, in the holding file they sit until the student hits the submit button or the paper application arrives in the mail.
Once you submit your application, our staff will create a file for it and pull all credentials in the holding file that match up (this is why it's critical for teachers to use your full, legal name at some point in their recommendations). After that, your status will be updated and you should see notification on your status screen.
At this time of the year (as well as in late December and January), we are processing thousands of pieces of paper each day, so it can take a while for the steps I laid out above to happen. If you submit today, when "traffic" is very high, it could take anywhere from a few days to two weeks for status to update. Be patient. Check back every few days. We'll email you if something is missing.
