Early decision applicants to Tulane University received their acceptance emails on Wednesday. But for 130 of these applicants, their acceptance was a mistake. 

Tulane, a highly selective school, admitted 29 percent of early decision applicants – 6,480 out of 22,256. The early admissions rate last year was 35 percent, and the regular admissions rate was 7 percent.

The 130 students who thought they had been accepted by their dream school quickly learned that it was not so. Tulane quickly sent a retraction email and issued a public apology, leaving students disappointed and humiliated.

Tulane blamed the mistake on a new software system that coded deferred students as accepted students.

Even though some urged Tulane to admit the 130 students affected, the school has not indicated that they will enroll the students, nor will they give them special consideration during the regular admissions process.

To see the full article in The New York Times, click here.