<p>@bluebayou
First,human error is inevitable. Even if you had a thousand admissions people checking the list, there is bound to be one time when they send out the wrong list. Obviously, there is a much smaller chance of this happening when you have a thousand than when you have two or three, but there is still that chance. I’m doubting admissions offices get a thousand people to check lists.
Second, humans are lazy. This is just part of human nature. When you hire people, they most likely did not show their lazy side; otherwise you would not have hired them. However, we eventually get lazy at our job, let technology take over, and hope that our software can catch what errors we make.</p>
<p>The whole thing is just a debacle! If I were the parent of a jilted student, I would want blood lol.</p>
<p>Admission data processing is mostly outsourced to contactors. Mistakes happen every year. For example
<a href=“Acceptance letters sent in error to 2,500 Fordham university students | Daily Mail Online”>Acceptance letters sent in error to 2,500 Fordham university students | Daily Mail Online;
<p>I’m almost positive this happened last year. I was waitlisted by Hopkins (via email) and they sent an acceptance email later that day welcoming me to the class of 2018, and an email a few hours later apologizing. I disregarded the acceptance email as my status checker still said “waitlisted”, but can see why many students might be upset. </p>
<p>oh my god this is terrible</p>
<p>This IS human error but NOT understandable…</p>
<p>A bank I used to work at had the whole retail banking system down because a junior person was doing a routine maintenance at a data center and accidentally flipped a switched which shut down few servers. We were flying blind for few days. This shouldn’t have happened, but it was a human error.</p>
<p>My good friend was wrongfully credited 100K to her checking account. When the bank was contacted they told her it was not possible. It took her few weeks to get it straighten out. She knew she didn’t make the deposit, even though it showed the money was in her account, she knew it wasn’t hers. My friend didn’t even get a thank you from the bank.</p>
<p>This was a mistake and JHU apologized few hours later via email. This doesn’t warrant a “my child is permanently scarred” cry. One young lady said JHU should call them personally to apologize. Would that really make most students feel better? </p>
<p>I was recently offered a new position. We agreed on the terms over the phone, but I was still prepared for any unexpected events that may not make the deal happen: 1) We just realized there was no head count, 2) the offer was too high, 3) or just we decided not to move ahead. Even after the offer letter is received, until I actually show up for work they can still rescind the offer (FYI - I actually encountered one of those excuses a while back). This is all part of life. I don’t know why we feel our students are so special that they need to be coddled like this.</p>
<p>If I were one of those student’s parent, I would have told my kid to double check before getting too excited. If it turned out to be a mistake then I would just say move on. </p>
<p>Database administration is sometimes respected and well compensated - and other times - not so much.</p>
<p>“in my opinion they should at least get a refund of their application fee” - I like that idea. </p>
<p>There really should be repercussions for this - not an “Oh, sorry, you’re not actually in”. I agree that returning app fee is a good start.</p>
<p>As someone who is waiting to hear back from universities, this is by far my biggest nightmare. This is INSANE. IT CAN NOT HAPPEN BY ANY MEANS!!! It’s such an emotional time for people like me, and this could be someones dream school. </p>
<p>A college admissions blogger wrote a post today about the apology email that was sent out by JHU. He wrote that the email was impersonal and not sincere, exactly the opposite of JHU’s suggestion of how to write a good college essay.</p>
<p>This was a bad mistake. Damages and hurt feelings could have been slightly mitigated by showing some compassion and empathy by the administration. There are many lessons to be learned from this.</p>
<p>It was bad enough to get rejected twice, but their apology letter was complete BS. </p>
<p>"Earlier today, you may have received an email from us with the subject line: Embrace the YES!</p>
<p>Please note that this email was sent in error.</p>
<p>The decision posted on the decision site reflects the accurate result of your Early Decision application.</p>
<p>We regret this technical mistake and any confusion it may have caused.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>The Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The Johns Hopkins University"</p>
<p>That’s it? Nothing else? No courtesy whatsoever. Well, that crosses JHU off my list. </p>
<p>Someone, somewhere made a mistake. The organization addressed it and apologized. Once it’s done, it seems like a good idea to keep the drama to a minimum. If someone got upset over the original bad news, I don’t see how making an even bigger deal out of it will be any better.</p>
<p>There is much more to this than just being a PR nightmare. If some students have cancelled admission applications to other schools because of an acceptance from Hopkins, they have a heck of a good case for either significant damages or a case for an injunction forcing the school to take them. At the least, some lawyer should consider a class action case for people who have been damaged by this error.</p>
<p>They were notified within few hours. People also need to do their due diligence before taking any actions. You would have to be idiot to cancel your other applications when you were denied initially then an acceptance later. I would at minimum call up the school to make sure there was no mistake. I would also make a deposit before I cancel other applications. Yes, suing the school would be the way to go. Sheesh.</p>
<p>Oldfort, I assume from your name that you are older than the average student who posts here. When you got into college, did you call your school immediately thereafter? I didn’t! I simply sent in my application ASAP and cancelled my other applications when I heard from my top school. Of course, back in the days of the dinosaurs, students didn’t apply to as many schools as they do today. </p>
<p>As far as a law suit, cancelling even one application can make these students eligible for a possible injunctions mandating their admission. It could be a good strategic move.</p>
<p>This situation is NOT about getting admitted and calling the school. It is about getting rejected and then receiving conflicting information. In a situation like that, diligence is appropriate. And as oldfort points out, the corrections were mailed within hours.</p>
<p>FWIW, when I was admitted to Vassar (1980) it was under different but also unusual circumstances. I called. Me: “Are you really, really sure? Would you mind double-checking?”</p>
<p>Last spring, when my daughter’s Harvard portal said “Congratulations!” but she had not received the email she was signed up to receive, I insisted that she call. You bet.</p>
<p>Except that these students had already found out they were rejected via the student portal, and the email they received was not a “You got accepted!” but a “Welcome! Tweet us and buy stuff!”. There’s no way this would have been mistaken for an acceptance letter, and less than 200 applicants received it. I think their app fee should be refunded, but it’s been way over-blown. A lawsuit? That’s ridiculous. </p>
<p>@indukm MIT made a similar mistake a couple years ago. Unfortunate but it happens to some unlucky school and unlucky email recipients every year. </p>