<p>Re post #48 by Nrdsb4, that was my comment that you quoted, that I didn’t think that admissions personnel should “completely dismiss” the disappointment of highly qualified students who are rejected. As I mentioned “upthread,” I have only good things to say based on local experience with NU admissions.</p>
<p>bclintonk mentioned an acquaintance who works in admissions at Swarthmore, and used to “lose sleep” over rejecting applicants, but now just thinks that they will go to another top school instead. I think that person will come close to dismissing the disappointment of applicants, if he/she continues very much further along the same trajectory.</p>
<p>If your S/D is admitted to a good fraction of the schools to which he/she applied, and so are all of their friends, you may think everything is “hunkey dorey” and nobody should react to a rejection with disappointment, since the prudent applicant will still have multiple good options. If your S/D is admitted ED to his/her top choice, you might have a hard time empathizing with a student who was not so lucky.</p>
<p>Again, I am not defending the parents–definitely not! Nor am I criticizing NU specifically. However, I do think that some of the dealing with disappointed and even angry parents comes with the territory in admissions. Doesn’t it?</p>