lmp, I'm sorry your DS didn't get into the school of his choice. Would you give him a message for me? Tell him that
when one door closes another one opens. This has happened to me so many times in my life, it's not funny. But things have always worked out pretty well so I believe that (I'll echo Ann's Mom) things really do happen for a reason and you never know what that'll be looking forward. Maybe he'll meet his future wife or best friend at this school. Or he'll find the profession he was absolutely meant to have. At any rate, tell him to walk into that school with his head up high and to be the absolute best student that school has ever seen. Blow em away.
My kids and I have these types of discussions a lot. I work with a boy who's one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. (Google it if you've never heard of it, very interesting.) Anyway, he knows my kids and believe it or not, they've gotten some really great life lessons from him. He told my kids he learned to write his alphabet with a stick in the dirt as that was the only thing he had available in the refugee camp he grew up in - alone, without his family.

He said in his village (which he's since reconnected with), they don't have money for schools, so the children sit around all day under trees with nothing to do. We are so fortunate to have what we have. So it isn't ivy league. So what. He has the opportunity to work hard and get a wonderful education regardless of where he goes. I hope he seizes the opportunity and makes the best of the opportunity he has in front of him.
Wishing you all a beautiful Easter, friends.
PS my DS had his season opener yesterday and they won both games. They are playing really well as a team and I was happy for all of them. They've worked so hard all winter.