(CNN) — “Embrace the YES!” said the subject line.
Uh, no.
The Washington Post reported that almost 300 students who had been rejected by Johns Hopkins University received a joyous shock over the weekend when the prestigious Baltimore school sent them emails telling them to “Embrace the YES!” They’d been admitted after all.
Hadn’t they?
It didn’t take long for joy to turn to sadness when the school followed up with another email on Sunday afternoon: “Please note that this email was sent in error. The decision posted on the decision site reflects the accurate result of your Early Decision application.”
Whoops.
The email was the result of “human error,” David Phillips, vice provost for admissions and financial aid at Hopkins, told the Post.
“We apologize to the students affected and to their families,” Phillips said. “Admissions decision days are stressful enough. We very much regret having added to the disappointment felt by a group of very capable and hardworking students, especially ones who were so committed to the idea of attending Johns Hopkins that they applied early decision.”
Johns Hopkins isn’t the first to make such a mistake. Last December, Fordham University sent 2,500 students acceptances, when their status was still unresolved.
Cathy Stephenson, a parent of a Hopkins hopeful, told the Post she was upset.
“You don’t crush somebody’s feelings twice,” she said.
