The interminably long wait between applying to a new school and getting accepted is something of a rite of passage for many transfer students.

But a growing number of schools, including at least two in the Chicago area, have found ways to cut down that wait and sometimes get rid of it completely.

In recent years, DePaul University and Roosevelt University have created fast-track open houses that let prospective students drop off all their transcripts, forms and recommendations at once and get a yes or no answer on the spot. 

“We wanted to give an opportunity for transfer students to have a smoother transition and take away a little bit of the fear of applying,” says Pamela Lee, who helps oversee transfer student admissions at DePaul.

Last month alone, DePaul had 300 students come to eight events in the city the suburbs. And about 78 percent of those get admitted, Lee says. DePaul's program is in its third year.

Overall, DePaul admits about 1,500 transfer students each year, about two-thirds of whom come from community colleges.

Roosevelt University has a similar instant admission program, says spokesman Tom Karow.

“Just a handful of people take advantage of it, but if they bring all the necessary transcripts and have the proper GPA, then we can make a decision there,” he says.

Transfer students comprise a large portion of Roosevelt’s student body, he says, but most go through a more normal admissions process.

Lee said the number of transfer students coming to DePaul has been relatively constant for each of the last five years. Even if the rapid enrollment program isn’t boosting the number of transfer students, it does help relieve some of the pressure of applying, Lee says.

“We do see quite a few students who are just anxious to see what their admissibility is,” Lee says.