Why do you suggest that there is nothing you can do? Have you received confirmation notices from all the schools to which you applied. As one who was on the other side of the process, many materials never make it.

Contact each school to inquire that all of your materials have been received including letters of recommendation. While contacting them, find out when they typically reply back with their decisions. Do they have an Open House for admitted students? If so, which do you plan to attend when you receive admission. Be sure to note the name of each person to contact at each school if questions later.

Have you been in touch with the financial aid office at each school? When is the deadline for applying for need based aid, merit based aid.

Finally, have a positive attitude that the hardest part will be making the right decision when you receive admission to all of the schools. As such, continue your research on each program -- emailing students, alumni, faculty, etc.

Remember, idle hands are the playground for the devil -- keep active in the process and letters will soon be there.

Good point Dr. Architecture...
I had to send my submission next day air...and my professor suggested that I email the school with the appropriate tracking number to make sure they know how serious I am about the application process. But I wonder since the schools are processing so many applications at the moment, when would be a good time to check to see if all your materials has been received?
I plan on filing my FAFSA before the 1st of Feb because I am still waiting on documentation for my tax return to arrive. Is this a bit late or should I just go ahead and estimate my return and file it now? Most of the school that I applied to say to file it before the 1st so I thought that would be the deadline for such things.
And since you had experience selecting potential student for graduate school, what kind of qualities did you specifically looked for in applicant?

My next couple of months won't be idle.. I am participating in a exhibition for Design Within Reach plus entering several local competitions urged on by my professor and touring Europe during spring break. March is only a heart beat away when school start up next week. But any insight in the process would calm some anxiety.

Dr. Architect - I definitely agree that I should be proactive with my application. Which I have been, I've called all the schools that I have applied and checked the status of my application material. What I meant by "there's nothing else I can do" is that I've done the best I can at presenting myself as a strong candidate for a M.Arch. I can't polish my application material any further and, as long as all the supporting material arrives correctly, then it is no longer in my control. Don't get me wrong, I've got tons to do over the next few months but as far as my application goes there's nothing else I can change about it now. ZeroPulse did ask a good question, when is it an appropriate time to check the status of the application. At the moment most of the schools I've called said that they are still in the process of opening mail and processing it. Would you say a week from now the admissions office should be caught up on all the applicants material and properly sorted it?

At my previous institution, we sent a confirmation letter within a week or so of receiving the application indicating what we had received until we began an online system. Now, the online system does it instead of the letter; plus applicants can check to be sure all materials are in.

It is bothersome for applicants to call the school given the numbers but if the schools does not alert you in some manner, I do think it is appropriate to contact the school within an appropriate time.

For example, our deadline was January 1 and we took the entire month of January to process the applications. Our review of candidates began in February.

The best option is to obtain this information last fall as you were researching the school. But now, call the Graduate Admissions Secretary, not the director of the program.

Hi, where are you applying?. Are you appplying for a master or a post proffesional?.

I remember my application, I sent the wrong letter to the wrong school, what a disaster - you just had to laugh about it

Westcoarter - Where did you finally get in?.

i'm about to send mine in.... but i think i wont get any finacial aid so i'm not really sweating it

I have already sent 5 from 7. International aplicantion...from Panama. I don´t keep too much hope because I think they are very very selective institutions. My GRE TOEFL an GPA are not so impressive. However lots of extracurricular activities, proffesional experience, good letters of rec from proffesors and nice portfolio.
Uhmm and I don´t have enought money yo go by my own. I expect to get financial aid or grant. I am not willing to take a 20k or 30k debt for graduate school. I will see what march and april 2009 bring.