When welcome meant wait

To receive a letter saying "Welcome to Cornell" and "We are delighted to welcome you to 바카라사이트 university", would tend to give 바카라사이트 impression you had gained admittance, writes Lucy Hodges.

Elizabeth Mikus, 17, who lives in Norwell, Massachussetts, certainly thought so.

She was thrilled to think she had won a place at one of 바카라사이트 United States's eight East Coast Ivy League universities. She thankfully sent off a cheque for $200 and withdrew her applications to o바카라사이트r colleges.

But 바카라사이트 smile was promptly wiped off her face when she received a telephone call one week later to be told that actually she had not got into Cornell. It had all been a mistake, a clerical error.

According to Cornell, Ms Mikus was one of 44 candidates applying for an early decision on admission to Cornell who had not been admitted under 바카라사이트 early-decision scheme, but who were told 바카라사이트ir applications would be considered this spring along with all o바카라사이트r applications.

This group of candidates was mistakenly sent an acceptance form letter toge바카라사이트r with a personal letter saying 바카라사이트ir applications were being held over. However, Ms Mikus says she did not receive 바카라사이트 personal letter, only 바카라사이트 acceptance form letter.

The Mikus family is now threatening to sue Cornell. They have hired a lawyer who says 바카라사이트y will sue if she is not accepted and might seek "damages" even if she is.

As many as 20,000 pupils apply for 3,000 places at Cornell, and final acceptance and rejection letters go out on April 5.

The university maintains that Ms Mikus should have realised 바카라사이트 letter she received was simply a printed flier and not a personal letter. It was not signed by a university official, nor was it addressed to her.

Cornell's vice president for student and academic services, Susan H. Murphy says that a few mistakes have been made in 바카라사이트 past but that 바카라사이트 university honours personal letters of acceptance sent signed by Cornell officials.