<p>I thought it might be worth sharing approaches to the waiting game and then the news.</p>
<p>When my son applied to five boarding schools, he got into his 1st, 3rd, and 5th choices and got rejected by his 2nd and 4th. Since this was his first experience with outsiders rejecting or accepting him, it was nerve wracking to watch. All along, I had prepped him (a) that it was not an objective grading of him personally, but a subjective decision about whether his overall profile was right for the School in that particular year and (b) that wherever he ends up, he will come to believe that it was a great outcome and the right place for him. </p>
<p>I tried especially hard to balance my reaction to both kinds of news, equal levels of enthusiasm or sympathy. Before admissions decisions were sent, I avoided chancing discussions with him because, as I explained, its like trying to predict whether you will be friends with someone before you meet them, an impossibly complex guessing game with a high failure rate and not worth the effort. What will be, will be.</p>
<p>The first four decisions were split and he was thrilled to have gotten into his third choice and started to envision himself there. The last decision he received was from his first choice school. I was on a business trip and got a call from him in my hotel room letting me know. I said thats fantastic news, you should be very happy, and proud of yourself. Pretty even keeled, yes? Truth be told, after we hung up, I started whooping and hollering like a little kid. Never told him though!</p>