driggsace, Have you been assigned an Admissions Officer?
"are the interview notices issued individually for different applicants at different times or are they issued together at a similar time?"
They are sent individually and not together at once, if some have been interviewed and still no notification then only on the final deadline date they get the updates.
" Does this mean that in fact all R5 applicants are currently waiting to be reviewed (I understand that one applicant like me is also waiting to be shortlisted for an interview) and perhaps we are panicking after a month of just waiting for an interview. "
driggsace, They are happening on a rolling basis, as recently they talked that the applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, now I also submitted today too and now I think we have to wait and see how many are been evaluated currently,
As there may be many waitlisted candidates too they are taking time, in terms of most final decisions have been announced on the final deadline dates. So keep patience and lets hope for the best.
During my queries too I talked with the marketing director Brendon Low and he told me that the earlier you apply now the earlier you could be reviewed so right now I guess we just have to wait.