Wow, it's suprising that they're waiting that long to notify selected applicants. I guess after having such a competitive application cycle last year (didn't each of the schools receive close to 600 applications?), they probably want to wait to group all the applications together that were received over the last few months and then make offers, instead of doing it on a rolling basis and risk extending one of the last interview slots to a moderately competitive applicant when they might receive an app from a super-competitive one a week later (when all the spots might be gone).

Having said that, I suppose it doesn't help to turn your application in early unless you get it in by the early app deadline; otherwise, your application is going to just sit around until January while they wait for everyone else to apply (even if you apply just one day after the early app deadline). So much for rolling admissions.

But I guess it makes sense for them, though, considering that the competitiveness for AA school has risen to a whole new level over the past year.