Feb 13 (Reuters) – William & Mary Law School mistakenly sent acceptance emails to 410 applicants on Tuesday — the result of what officials said was a technological problem.

Some of the incorrect acceptance letters were sent to people on the law school’s waitlist or to those whose applications were still under review, while a “small” number went to applicants who had been denied, a school spokesperson said on Thursday.

The law school said it caught the error within minutes and quickly emailed applicants to apologize.

“We recognize the emotional impact of such an error, and we are taking immediate steps to prevent it from happening again,” said Issa DiSciullo, associate dean for J.D. admissions and financial aid.

The mistake came during the height of the law school admissions cycle, which runs from September to June. Nearly 52,000 people so far have applied for a spot at an American Bar Association-accredited law school this cycle, which represents an almost 21% increase over this time last year, according to the Law School Admission Council. Thousands of would-be lawyers are now awaiting word on their applications.