Is it me or are schools late in sending out their rejection letters this year? From the wiki and outside sources, I've figured out that most positions I've applied to have interviewed other candidates, but I haven't received any rejection letters/emails. The last time I went on the job market, there were a handful of schools I never heard anything back from, but most sent out a rejection letter. It's not that I really want rejection letters, but if I am in fact out of the running, it'd be nice to officially know that.
Typically, schools send rejection letters when someone accepted an offer (and possibly signed a contract). Though it's really unlikely that you will be invited for an intervioew after they have short lists or actual interviews, it is still theoretically possible. That's why only when they are absolutely sure you are rejected they send the letters. In most cases they do arrive at some point.
It is true that rejection letters come late - after they are absolutely sure they aren't going to interview you. But when I was originally on the market and applied for ~55 jobs there were definitely quite a few places that never sent me a rejection letter at all.
I have applied to 40+ positions and received 2 rejection letters. My guess is that they may not be sending them this year because of budget constraints and the huge number of applicants for each job. A large number of jobs I applied for had 100+ applicants. If they are losing office staff like my current department, there may not be any folks to send these out!
Honestly, I'm still waiting to hear from graduate schools from 5-6 years ago. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for rejection letters.
In my experience, waiting for rejection letters is futile. Most of the places I've applied to over the years don't send them and those that do can send them very late. The record for me was the rejection letter that came at the end of the job search season two years after I'd originally applied for the position…