Did you know that there is a website where this guy put together one of the largest and longest list of disclaimers - 687 of them!!
Don’t ask me how I even found that site.
Or, what compelled me to sit and read each and every one. I was mesmerized!
Of ALL of the disclaimers listed, probably the one that stood out for me is: “Individual results may vary”.
“Why that one”, you might ask. And I think the reason it appeals to me is because, as a coach, I look at this disclaimer as recognizing that every single person has the opportunity to experience a difference outcome JUST by the very nature of who they are as an individual.
They also have the possibility of creating and influencing their individual results just by HOW they choose to approach the outcome and WHY they made that choice!
Plus, if there EVER was a place to include the disclaimer “Individual results may vary”, it is with the use of college search websites.
There are a plethora of websites out there, so just figuring out which one(s) you want to use needs to include the disclaimer “May cause dizziness”, so let’s start with this link.
I also recently featured this list on my facebook page (which is another resource I provide to minimize dizziness and help you sort through the massive amount of information out there!)
One of the websites included in this list that I use with many of my students is niche.com, which has lots of statistics, as well as student reviews and grades for most aspects of college student life.
However, the reason this website is particularly applicable to our "Individual results may vary" disclaimer, is that the information is written by students, which means that it is based on each person’s “individual results” and their perspective.
Plus, the difference in maximizing this website can vary widely based on a student’s understanding of what they are looking for in a college experience and why it is important to them.
A recent scenario comes to mind. I was working with a student who listed amongst their criteria that "a school that did not have a big party scene" was a priority.
At first glance, as they were reviewing the college, the overall grade that the school received was a B, but upon further evaluation, using this student’s criteria, we found that the college's overall grade was based on part on their lack of partying and Greek life, while scoring well in academics – EXACTLY what this student was looking for! They were able to maximize their use of this website AND the “negative" disclaimer in this case was a HUGE positive for the student!
Even choosing which of the ten websites to use may need the disclaimer: "Caution: May cause drowsiness, nausea, dizziness, or blurred vision", so I recommend breaking it down into more manageable steps and starting with these two: Cappex and Chegg. Once you get an idea of which colleges you are interested in and why, you can move to the websites that provide the more individualized discussion and feedback, as a way to confirm your own already developed opinions and ideas.
I hope that this information provides a place for you to start! Let me know your thoughts!
And, above all, in working with your children on any and all aspects of college planning, it is great to apply the disclaimer of:
“Some humor included”