If attitude is everything, let’s just say Ab fully displayed a poor one when we toured the private school on Thursday.
She looked the picture of cool indifference, with arms crossed in front of her, tight jawed with one word answers like, “I dunno.” to open-ended questions posed by the young Admissions Dean as she provided us an in-depth tour of the very prestigious school. A full scholarship was waiting in the wings for my Native American artist-child who was clearly told that they want students who want to be there. In fact, she said they recruit students from all over the world for their student population of just 300.
I explained that Ab was really shy in new social situations, which is true, however I am not sure that she fooled the Admissions Dean who has a Master’s Degree in Psychology. I came clean and told the Dean that Ab was going to go to boarding school whether it was there or somewhere else, so I’m sure that it was an extremely scary proposition to her, hence the attitude.
I also explained the two significant losses Ab experienced in the past year and a half, which affected her greatly. When asked about her grades, and her plans to apply herself, again Ab wasn’t convincing. I was becoming horrified, giving her the “evil eye” every chance I got, and I was sure that the whole process was a HUGE waste of everyone’s time. Especially mine.
My frustration was evident by the time we got back to the Admission’s office, where the Dean reviewed her transcripts of the past five years. I again resorted to begging for mercy by asking for her honest opinion as to Ab’s chances for acceptance there. Surprisingly, she told me they were low on 9th graders, and that while it was fully up to the admissions committee, she felt on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being “absolute” that Ab was about a 7 to 8 for admittance.
You could have knocked me over with a feather! And…the pessimist that I am makes me say, “I will believe it when I see it!” Certainly, I am not holding my breath. If anyone’s interested in placing a bet, please let me know. In the meantime I have requested another week off work, which was granted, to continue looking for other options.
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Ahh, the old "Evil Eye." My son says I give it like no other.
ReplyDeleteGabreael
Good luck with Ab. My son went to private boarding school. The Westtown school in Westtown , PA. Kids of diplomats, daughters of Chinese princesses, all kinds of diversity was on that campus. Your Ab will definitely get in.. The question is how she'll act once she gets there. I should write a couple journal entries about what my 3 sons did when they were in that private Quaker school. It wasn't pretty, honey, but it sure was funny. Only the oldest graduated from Westtown.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my journal today and good luck with Ab.
MAryanne
Did you ask Ab what her problem was with the whole thing? Never having been a parent, I'm pretty naive about this stuff. I suppose I believe you could actually ask a fourteen-year-old a question, and expect a straight answer. As if!
ReplyDeleteI was afraid she might end up being resistant to the idea of going away to school. If she has made social contacts that have enough influence over her to get her into trouble, I'm sure she's not too hep on the idea of leaving them behind. Still...God, if she could only grasp the opportunity she is being offered. Twenty years from now, she will probably want to kick herself around the block if she blows this chance. But you can't make them see those things when they are stubbornly insistent that they WILL NOT... Too unfortunate that this is not the kind of place you can just SEND her, whether she likes it or not. I'll bet her artistic little soul would embrace the place soon enough. Good luck, my friend! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you both! Lisa :-]
I am so often accused of 'the evil eye' that I fear it's just my look! Kids, you just never know how or what they'll do. Good luck!
ReplyDelete