Every year, from mid-March to early April, college-bound high school seniors are on pins and needles, waiting for decision letters from selective colleges to land in their mailboxes. In this episode, Dean Coffin asks two fellow admissions officers, from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago, to explain how they make those tough decisions, and what it means to be admitted, denied, or “waitlisted.” A Boston-area college counselor offers tips for receiving, absorbing, and sharing that news. A “no” in selective admissions, the guests agree, should not be taken as a personal failure; rather, it reflects the scarcity of seats as colleges shape and build diverse communities.