Bad News to Customers: University Admission Message Erroneously Welcomes All Who Applied

The University of California, San Diego, recently made a big mistake. It inadvertently invited all applicants to the LaJolla campus to an orientation-even those who had been rejected. The message said, "We're thrilled that you've been admitted to UC San Diego, and we're showcasing our beautiful campus on Admit Day." That message was intended to be sent to about 18,000 students who had been accepted. Instead, it went to all 47,000 students who applied. Admissions Director Mae Brown quickly realized the mistake. "The minute the e-mails were sent out, we noted that it was sent to a much larger pool than was admitted. We immediately recognized the error," she said.

What could the university do to correct this massive slip-up? One applicant, who had already received a rejection from UCSD, said she was confused. Her mother said, "It is adding insult to injury for kids who have already been through the wringer." When asked if anyone had been disciplined for the mistake, Brown said that the university was undertaking a complete review of the process.31

Your Task. For Admissions Director Mae Brown, write an appropriate bad-news message to the students who received the message in error. Many applicants will be wondering what their real admission status is.