}
switch ($query) {
    case 'avg':
        // the average rating will be printed to the page
        $outputcontent = $ratings->getAverageRating($id);
        if ($outputcontent === 0) {
            $outputcontent = "There are not enough ratings to show an average rating for this college.";
        }
        break;
    case 'add':
        if (empty($newRating)) {
            error_log("If you wish to add a new rating, please specify a newRating in the parameters.");
            print 'NO NEWRATING SPECIFIED.';
            return false;
        } else {
            $ratings->addToRatings($id, $newRating);
            print 'Success!';
        }
        break;
    case 'update':
        if (empty($oldRating)) {
            error_log("If you wish to update a previous rating, please specify an oldRating in the parameters.");
            print 'NO OLDRATING SPECIFIED.';
            return false;
        } else {
            if (empty($newRating)) {
                error_log("If you wish to update a previous rating, please specify a newRating in the parameters.");
                print 'NO NEWRATING SPECIFIED.';
                return false;
            } else {
                $ratings->updateRatings($id, $oldRating, $newRating);