What do you call a group of elk? Where do I buy a unicycle? What do I do if my dog swallows a packet of silica? What WAS the Tradle answer for January 11? How long does it take an oyster to form?
We all do it. We all have questions that we type into our smart, little devices. We all have a world of information at our fingertips, and, for many of us, there is little to no gap between the question and a plethora of possible answers. Some search engines have even enabled an AI feature that pulls information from everywhere in the interweb-verse. We’ve all been guilty of running to the socials to see if we can find a thread on that topic. And the Internet can be a valuable resource. Other than some hard-to-find information, literally everything in the world can be found online somewhere. I would not have known how to clean the coin trap in our washing machine without it.
However, the Internet of things can also get things wrong. Behind all of that information is ultimately fallible humans that are responsible for it. Most humans mean well, some don’t, and generally people try and get it right. But sometimes they don’t. Some information just isn’t right. Some is factually inaccurate. Some is based on conjecture. And some is just based on what they heard from friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another. Misinformation. Disinformation. Really reliable sources. It’s a mixed bag.
Enter the rumour mill. The rumour mill is commonly what we refer to when we talk about what happens when one law student hears a whisper. Law students share information – as they should – and this is a small community. We are all better off sharing information and learning from each other. It helps us understand what’s possible, what’s not, and what outcome to expect when we look into something. Soon, what was once information held by only one or a few students is common knowledge at Fraser High. And, like it or not, sometimes the game of telephone just doesn’t end up with accurate results once the information reaches the other side of the building.
The same things happens with applicants and social media. I’m not naming any names, but I’m thinking of a site that might rhyme with edit. Applicants share their experiences – again, as they should. However, sometimes a crucial detail is left out. Or a fact might be misinterpreted on the reading end. Or a sarcastic tone can’t be understood over text. My point is that very well-meaning applicants sometimes share information that causes future applicants to act – and they’ve been steered the wrong way. Sometimes this is harmless, and other times? Not so much.
One of the main ways we see the damage from this is the process of self-selection. We all-too-often get calls, emails, and visits from applicants and students who assumed they were not eligible for a loan, a scholarship, a bursary, or admission based on a fact they’ve heard from (or read) someone else. And sometimes, it’s too late to correct their choice.
This is not to say that we want all of you lovely humans to stop sharing information. We don’t. Just do your own homework, too. And, when in doubt, reach out. We are always happy to answer questions you may have. If it doesn’t hurt, complete the application. Let someone else decide you aren’t eligible for what you are asking for, rather than self-selecting from the process.
When it comes to admissions questions, you can always reach out to us, of course. As with anything, please read the website and search the blog posts first to see if the answer is there. An educated conversation is much easier to have than a completely calling-with-absolutely-no-context-or-direction one (we find the latter leads to a lot more surprises and moments when we can actually feel the face of the caller falling). If you have questions about financial aid matters, reach out to Student Awards and Financial Aid (safa@uvic.ca) or me (in my Financial Aid Officer hat at lawfao@uvic.ca). Housing questions? Housing@uvic.ca. Tuition? Tuition@uvic.ca. Basically, for every question you have, there is an office at UVic, someone with a whole lot of knowledge they are waiting to share. Please, arm yourself with knowledge, and do your research, then reach out with questions you still have. Your future self will thank you!
And please let me know if you find that Tradle answer!