Once you’ve submitted your application, the waiting starts, and it’s the part of the process applicants find hardest to sit through. Here’s what’s actually happening with your file, and why calling, emailing, or stopping by the office won’t move it along any faster.
No, You Don’t Need to Call, Email, or Visit
We understand the instinct. You want the committee to know you’re serious, so a phone call or a quick visit feels like it might help your case. It doesn’t. Reviewers evaluate your file based on what’s in it, not on how many times you’ve reached out while it’s being reviewed. Frequent check-ins don’t move your application to the top of the pile, and they take time away from the office actually reviewing files, including yours.
The most useful thing you can do while your file is under review is nothing. Let the process work the way it’s built to work.
How the Review Process Actually Works
When you submit your application, it doesn’t go straight to a committee for review. It first goes through an audit to confirm your file is complete, meaning every required document and piece of information has been received.
That audit is done manually by the Office of Admissions. Once it’s finished, your file is marked either Complete or Incomplete, and you’ll receive an email either way. A Complete notification confirms your file is ready for full review. An Incomplete notification tells you there’s more needed and what to do next.
Track Your Status
You don’t need to contact our office to find out where your file stands. Your LSAC account shows your file completion status directly, and it’s the fastest, most accurate way to check progress. Check there before reaching out with a status question.
The Six to Eight Week Timeline
Once your file is marked Complete, expect the review itself to take six to eight weeks. That clock starts when your file is complete, not when you first submitted your application. If there’s a gap between those two dates, it’s because something was still outstanding, which is exactly why checking your LSAC status matters.
Keep in mind the office closes for winter holidays each year, and that closure affects review timelines for files completed around that period. Build that into your expectations if you’re applying in late fall or early winter.
Let the Process Do Its Job
Six to eight weeks feels long when you’re checking your email every day. But that time reflects a careful, individual review of your file, not a delay. Give the committee the space to do that work, track your status through LSAC, and trust that a decision is coming.