Tulane University mistakenly sends acceptance email to 130 ED candidates

Seems like we hear about this every year at some school.  I'm surprised there aren't more checks and double-checks in place.  At least they caught it within hours.

 

http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com/2016/12/we-messed-up.html

Edited December 17, 2016 by GGardner

[dirty ethel rackham]

Oops.  The checks and balances are only as good as the people who do them.  I remember a major credit card company accidentally sending credit card offers to people on their reject list.  I used to work for them and knew the project manager on that project.  It didn't surprise me.  He was all flash and no substance and he systematically replaced the nuts and bolts people who got the job done with more flashy people who knew buzz-speak. 

[TranquilMind]

That would be so upsetting.

[Julie of KY]

I'd be so upset, but I understand how it happens.

 

... My son's early decision acceptance better be real. :closedeyes:

[daijobu]

Now I know that email acceptances are not real unless confirmed.  My plan is if dd receives an email acceptance, we'll follow up with a phone call and wait for a letter.  Why do they even bother to email if they can't get it right?  

[Ann.without.an.e]

Those poor students.   :crying:

[FaithManor]

I have often if these errors would end if the institution was legally required to make a spot for these students.

 

It is a pretty ugly thing to do to students so I would nor be opposed to there being a little punishment for it.

 

3000+ colleges and universities in the US and the vast majority manage not to blunder so badly but every year there seem to be a couple that can't manage it. Maybe a $500 fine paid to the student or something.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I just keep thinking how embarrassed the ones who already posted on FB, Instagram, etc. must be?  Some kids don't even say much about where they are applying until they get accepted.  

 

Edited December 20, 2016 by Attolia

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd be so upset, but I understand how it happens.

 

... My son's early decision acceptance better be real. :closedeyes:

 

Well explain it to me please.  How does it happen?

[Julie of KY]

How??? stupid, careless, etc. It shouldn't happen, but I understand we live in the real world in which too many people are not careful, don't have high ethics, morals, don't think through the implications of what they are doing, etc.

[Daria]

I don't under the argument that if they accepted these students they'd end up with too many students.

 

This was an ED error.  Presumably if they accept these students, then they could just accept 130 fewer at Regular Decision time.  

 

Or am I missing something?

[teachermom2834]

I totally think they should honor the acceptances.  It is ED so those kids were obviously ready to commit to Tulane but I bet at least some of them would have already had second thoughts and not all would come.  I think there needs to be a consequence for the college.

 

I'll add that I believe that Tulane is a terrible offender of the strategy of recruiting their denials.  I think they are one of the schools that recruits kids they know won't get in to up their applications and improve their selectivity and thus their ranking.  So too bad so sad if they have to accept some kids they don't want.  They probably sent them emails begging them to apply.  They are part of the machine that has ratcheted up the emotional intensity of the college application process and I have little sympathy for their error! 

 

They should totally honor the acceptances of those kids! 

[hopskipjump]

Those poor students. How awful. :/ With it being *ED,* it just makes it so much worse! These students ready to commit and sign on that dotted line and then to have to try and put that genie back in the bottle... UGH.

 

I wonder if those 130 students were perhaps about to be deferred to Regular Decision? Do they do that with ED? (my brain is foggy... seems that I remember ED was either a YES or a definite NO?) If they WERE going to be deferred to Regular Decision, then they really should just accept them and save face, and accept 130 fewer during regular decision time.

 

 

[Daria]

Those poor students. How awful. :/ With it being *ED,* it just makes it so much worse! These students ready to commit and sign on that dotted line and then to have to try and put that genie back in the bottle... UGH.

 

I wonder if those 130 students were perhaps about to be deferred to Regular Decision? Do they do that with ED? (my brain is foggy... seems that I remember ED was either a YES or a definite NO?) If they WERE going to be deferred to Regular Decision, then they really should just accept them and save face, and accept 130 fewer during regular decision time.

 

It sounds like either they were going to be deferred, or the university decided that deferring them was a gentler thing to do than rejecting them, and moved all of them into the deferral category.  Or maybe Tulane defers everyone who isn't admitted ED?  I think I heard that some schools do that.  

[bettyandbob]

I forgot about this thread. Last week I was teaching a swimming teacher certification course and there was a really sweet senior girl in the class who told me she'd been accepted early decision to Tulane and she didn't apply anywhere else. She was such a great class participant I asked her to apply for a job at my facility. 

 

I hope they've corrected this. It would be horrible to have this happen and find out other deadlines are missed.