Lots of complaints in the Minnesota forum. My D applied early last year and heard early. BUT, she had a good friend who applied super early and waited and waited and waited. Meanwhile RD kids were hearing. They weren’t deferring, they just weren’t doing anything. Though Minnesota was her very top choice she eventually got frustrated and by the time she was accepted she had moved on. Tons of kids with similar stories.
Seems pretty clear they give answers to the “definitely yes” kids right away, and the rest wait until the RD applicants are in and they can compare all applicants. I wish they’d just defer from EA to RD so the kids know something is being done with their application. Instead they worry they have somehow slipped through the cracks or they are a no and just haven’t been told yet.