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You’ve Been Accepted to Columbia. Oops, Our Error.

posted onFebruary 21, 2017

Article snippet: When an applicant to the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health got an email on Wednesday saying it was “delighted to welcome” her, she said she was overcome with euphoria. She began sobbing, and her body shook. “I couldn’t even control my body,” said the applicant, a 23-year-old for whom Columbia was the No. 1 choice. “My teeth even started chattering. I didn’t even know that could happen.” That jubilation lasted only about 75 minutes, however, as a second email arrived informing her — and 276 other prospective students — that the acceptance notices had been sent in error. When the applicant got the follow-up email, she said she had the same physical reaction as before — but for opposite reasons. She said that when she called the admissions office, a person who answered the phone apologized but could shed no light on why it happened. “This is a really big mistake,” said the applicant, who requested anonymity because she was still awaiting word on her application and feared antagonizing admissions officials. “It’s ridiculous. I don’t understand how they can get away with it and just say ‘sorry.’” For applicants, the episode added anxiety to a time already fraught with it. Which school accepts — or rejects — an applicant can have broad implications about a student’s future finances and career path. The errant email from Columbia was the latest in a string of similar mistakes by big-name universities. Carnegie Mellon University last year emailed about ... Link to the full article to read more

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