Are parents demanding a well-known university? Here's what to tell them

Families regularly use the term “good” to describe the university they want their child to attend.

I always ask them, “What is your definition of good?” and their response is normally something along the lines of “it’s well known.”  

But there are so many institutions they’ve never heard of that might be good for their child. So how can we sway them away from applying to universities just for their strong brand names and direct their attention towards institutions that would provide their children with the right learning environment? How can counsellors use university rankings in a healthy manner to open parents’ eyes to possible options for their children?

Best fit versus best known

When looking at rankings, please keep in mind that they’re all different. There are rankings that compare institutions around the world and those that are country specific. Some countries invest heavily in their post-secondary institutions, ensuring that their citizens have access to high-quality and affordable education. Elsewhere, there are institutions that rely heavily on donors, endowments and high tuition fees. Some universities focus mostly on undergraduate education, while others invest deeply in their postgraduate research.

The most recognised rankings are Times Higher Education World University Rankings (THE), QS World University Rankings (QS), and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The methodologies used for these three major world university rankings show that each ranking uses different criteria, placing different weights on various issues, and that only some of these factors are related to their undergraduate offerings.

To bring students and their families back on track, teach them to focus on “best fit”. And encourage them to look at these criteria when putting together their university list:

• Does the university offer their programme of interest?
• Do the teaching and learning styles fit the student’s needs and abilities?
• Will students get the attention and support they need and deserve?
• Considering the pros and cons of big and small institutions, what is best for the student?
• Considering the surrounding environment (urban, suburban, rural), the weather, availability of dorms, what environment would best suit them?
• Will the university prepare them properly for their future career?

When the best isn't actually the best

The power of word of mouth is very strong, and many people only remember the universities that they’ve heard of. This is where you can introduce university rankings in a healthy manner, to open families’ eyes to options they hadn’t considered before.

Everyone knows Oxford and Cambridge and the Ivy League institutions, but do they know that UCL, MIT and Delft University of Technology have the top three architecture programmes in the world? Do they know that Princeton University isn’t one of the top 10 universities in computer science? Do they know that Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, ranks higher than Cambridge and Oxford in the field of business management?

How to use university rankings 

So, how can rankings be used in a healthy manner?

1. Encourage students not to be too particular over which university came third versus fourth, since rankings change every year. Look at the list in batches: top 10, top 50, top 100, depending on the student’s academic profile.

2. Use subject-specific rankings, as not all universities are strong in all fields.

3. Keep an open mind. There are many amazing universities in Europe that students and their parents may not have heard of.

4. Once they've used the rankings to create a list of possible university options, ensure that they research the following:

• Size of student population
• Faculty-to-student ratio
• Average class size
• Teaching style
• Research opportunities for undergraduate students
• Campus location: urban, suburban or rural
• The weather (more important than you think for some students)
• Halls of residence: distance from campus, single-sex, shared or private bathrooms
• Travel time and route to reach the university from their home town or country
• Student diversity
• Access to internship or coop opportunities
• Student support services
• Availability of merit scholarships or needs-based financial aid

There is no one perfect university – everybody’s needs and wants differ. Encourage families to set their priorities in order, with points for each factor. Then they can score each university accordingly, and then they’ll have produced a more personalised – and therefore much more accurate – university rankings system.