<p>I've noticed my application status change to "under review" within the last couple days. What does this mean? Will I be hearing back soon, or is it mid-march no matter what? I don't understand the purpose of the status change if it doesn't mean I'll be hearing back soon.</p>
<p>Well, it lets you know that some progress is being made, which is better than saying nothing, since everybody is always wondering where things stand. They do send out letters as they make decisions though, unlike schools that send them all on the same day. If you’re a slam dunk, maybe you’ll hear soon. But your application could still be at the bottom of some reviewer’s big stack. No way to know, and no reason to worry even if it takes a long time.</p>