SAN DIEGO — The University of California, San Diego says it accidentally sent an e-mail invitation to every student who applied for the school’s incoming freshman class — including the 29,000 who had been rejected.

UCSD Admissions Director Mae Brown said Tuesday that the message sent Monday was supposed to be sent to about 18,000 accepted students, not all 47,000 applicants. The invitation was for a day on campus.

She said she later sent a mass e-mail apologizing for the confusion.

Brown said the mailing was sent to rejected applicants because of a technical error.

Brown said the admission staff has been fielding calls from parents and distraught students who had received rejection letters in mid-March.