High school students all over the country are eager to hear from their dream colleges with good news, and last week, more than 5,000 State University of New York at Buffalo hopefuls did.
Only problem was, they weren't really accepted.
At least 5,100 applicants were mistakenly sent acceptance letters Wednesday, John Contrada, a spokesman for the university, told NBC News.
A statement released Friday said the acceptance letters were erroneously sent out when an incorrect email list was accessed from an applicant database. An email acknowledging the mistake — and informing the students that they hadn't been accepted — was sent to the applicants within four hours, the statement said.
"We know that this can be a stressful time for prospective students and their families. The University at Buffalo deeply regrets this unfortunate error in communication," the statement said.
The good news is that the applications of the students who received the misfired email are still under review, meaning they still have a chance of being accepted.
More than 25,000 students applied to the university for the fall semester, and about 5,400 will be accepted, Contrada said. Currently, 30,000 students are enrolled at the school, he said.
