Greetings.  Yesterday I wrote about the challenge of competing and thriving in a "sea of sameness" where companies and organizations must figure out how to be different in ways that really matter to the customers they choose to serve.  Then, last night, I had the opportunity to experience this challenge in full bloom when I attended a big college fair with our daughter Sara–a senior in high school trying to decide on her final list of schools to apply to.  And she's being very reasonable about the whole thing, applying to seven or eight colleges and universities that fit a clear and exciting profile she's constructed.  If only I'd been that thoughtful and that organized when I was her age.  But times were different then, back in the last millenium. 

The fair itself was filled with lots of energy and insight as school representatives, especially from the lesser-known private schools, tried to get on the radar screens of the teenagers and parents in attendance.  At that's no small assignment given the roughly $50,000 price tag for one year at a private college or university.  Think about it, that's a brand new Mercedes every year for four years.  Or more luxury cruises to exotic places than any reasonable person would every dream of.  Or a contribution to a worthwhile nonprofit that could make you the "donor of the year" (for four straight years).  Or the chance to actually retire someday.  All so your child can study, party, and reflect on their impending future in some idyllic place where, according to most college brochures, the Spring flowers and Fall leaves are always in season.  And given that there seem to be a shrinking number of people willing to pay so much for college, the schools have to figure out a unique angle designed to attract just the right kids.  Unless, of course, they are Harvard, Cal Tech, Princeton, or a limited number of other elite schools that offer history, reputation, connections, and a great education.

So it was great fun to walk around in this most competitive of marketplaces and to ask representatives what makes their school unique.  Though I must admit, after a while most of the pitches seemed pretty much the same.  "Great teachers."  "Really smart and interesting students" from everywhere on the planet.  "A great faculty to student ratio."  "A focus on the whole person."  "Individually-tailored learning." "Residential learning communities" tied to your interests.  "A campus that is alive with opportunities."  "Amazing internship possibilities."  "Learning beyond the classroom."  A "plethora" (now that's a word I learned in college–along with the ever ubiqitous word "ubiqitous") of extracurricular activities designed to meet every student's interests.  "Innovative study and travel abroad options."  And it was also great fun to hear how giant public universities were repositioning themselves to look and feel just like their smaller liberal arts counterparts while retaining all the advantages of size and price.  But are sixteen and seventeen-year-olds smart enough to do the math even after taking AP calculus?

At the end of the evening I'm left with one clear impression.  Most good colleges are roughly the same and each and every student is the innovation that they really deliver.  Each and every student who challenges themselves to make the most of their experience in an environment that is rich with the potential for genius and possibilities.  An environment that exists in a lot of different places.

In education and business being different matters.  But creating an environment in which students (and customers)  can thrive matters quite a bit more.  In our quest to be different, we should never forget the importance of letting those we serve make the most out of their experience with us.

Cheers!

P.S.  By way of full disclosure, I attended a medium-size private university as an undergrad and one of the largest public universities in the U.S. for grad school–and loved them both!