If you are planning to study abroad in 2025, one thing is clear: you recognize the need to select the best university. This decision will impact your future and may ultimately dictate the quality of your professional life for the next 10 years at least or more.
But what does the “best university” actually stand for?
The phrase often invokes the usual leaders — Harvard, Oxford, MIT. — that frequently find their way to the top of lists of the world’s best schools, like QS World University Rankings or Times Higher Education.
For example, here is the list of universities ranked at the highest position as per the QS ranking in 2025:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Imperial College London
- University of Oxford
- Harvard University
- University of Cambridge
- Stanford University
- ETH Zurich
- National University of Singapore
- UCL
- California Institute of Technology
So, one of the simplest interpretations of ‘best’ is – the universities occupying ranks 1 to 10 (or 1 to 100, for that matter) in the reputed university-ranking-systems.
But did you know that universities are ranked based on factors like prestige, research output, or international reputation? Clearly, these might not be the best options for someone focused on landing a specific job within a specific industry.
That’s why, for most students, factors like job placement rates and return on investment (ROI) matter more. So, the “best” university for you may not be in the top 5 or even the top 50 in those ranking systems.
In this context, students should ask: what does “best” mean for them? Is their definition of “best” the same as the one used by ranking systems to evaluate universities?
The truth is that most students lack clarity about how ranking systems create their rankings. For international students, especially, one key factor to consider is the ROI they can expect from their higher education. To evaluate this, students need a system to shortlist universities based on factors more relevant to them—such as placement records, alumni networks, and ROI.
At GradRight, when we built our university search tools, we aimed to help students find the university that’s truly the best for them—not one based on irrelevant criteria.
That’s why we encourage students to reflect on what matters most to them. In this guide, we’ll discuss three approaches to finding the right university for any student.
Also Read: Spring Intake in USA 2025: Best Universities, Deadlines, Scholarships
How to find your best university?
Use university raking systems
When you think about choosing a university, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.
That’s where university ranking systems offer ease of decision-making. They simplify this complex decision-making process.
Let’s break down the upsides of ranking systems and why they’re worth paying attention to:
Upsides of ranking systems
Students always face the challenge of shortlisting universities because they have to choose from hundreds of options.
One of the advantages of rankings is that they serve as a good starting point for most students.
All a student needs to do is specify certain filters, and they can generate a list of the top 10, top 50, or top 100 universities.
Many ranking systems even offer sophisticated web portals where students can compare universities side by side.
This simplicity can be a lifesaver for students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed by too much information.
However, this approach is not without its downsides.
Downsides of Ranking Systems
No ranking system is perfect, and all have their limitations. A major issue is the inconsistency in methodology between systems.
For example, the ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) places significant weight on research-focused institutions, which means the rankings don’t necessarily reflect teaching quality.
In contrast, rankings like Times Higher Education and QS prioritize reputation surveys based on opinions from academics and employers, making them vulnerable to bias.
Additionally, most rankings use metrics with arbitrary weightings, which makes comparing them difficult and often unhelpful.
For most students, ranking systems are a good starting point but not enough to make a final decision about which universities to apply to. Many students already have certain universities in mind and prefer to compare them by speaking directly with alumni.
Connect with university alumni and ask questions
For many students. alumni interaction is the most valuable means of gaining information. Alumni can give detailed accounts of campus life, teaching quality, and career services.
This research approach can also offer an idea of the quality of a university’s alumni network. For many students, this is a good indicator of access to mentoring opportunities and employment.
Alumni can also provide insight into common career trajectories, entry salaries, and long-term growth prospects. For students, this is particularly useful in deciding whether an academic program suits their career aspirations.
Alumni can advise on matters related to university application, for example, finding out how to apply and where to find scholarships.
Of course, even this approach has its pros and cons.
Pros
- Alumni can provide clarity about post-graduation outcomes, such as typical salaries and career trajectories.
- Strong alumni networks often lead to better job prospects.
- They can guide you through application processes, scholarship opportunities, and adapting to campus life.
Cons
- Experiences vary widely. One alum’s stellar experience might not reflect the average.
- Not all alumni are approachable or willing to share details.
- Some may overstate the positives due to loyalty or nostalgia.
So, students have to contextualize all the information they get and consider factors such as return on investment (ROI), alumni outcomes, or areas of academic excellence.
That’s where GradRight can help.
Find your best university with GradRight
So till now, we’ve seen the upsides and downsides of a purely data-driven and purely interaction-driven approach to finding the best university.
The best of both worlds is available in the form of GradRight.
Here’s why we claim so.
GradRight is a solution to all the issues students face between the point of realizing they want to study abroad, and their first day in the classroom of the best university for them.
In this journey, one of the biggest milestones is finding the best university.
Towards this, GradRight helps by offering you a platform you can use for free. We call this platform SelectRight, and here is how it has become the go-to choice for Indian students looking to study abroad.
- SelectRight uses AI-powered algorithms and 8 million+ data points to recommend programs tailored to your goals. It doesn’t stop at rankings. Instead, it focuses on factors like ROI, alumni outcomes, industry relevance, and scholarships to provide a personalized list of options.
- You can compare programs across 40,000 courses and 4,000 universities worldwide. The platform also connects you with advisors who help clarify doubts and refine your selection process.
- Once you register and complete your profile, SelectRight generates matches based on your preferences. You can explore details, connect with experts, and confidently move forward with applications.
Already over 71,000 students have found their ideal universities using SelectRight. The platform is entirely free for students. All you need to do is sign up, complete your profile, and let the system guide you to the right choice.
Find your best university today with GradRight and take the first step toward a brighter future.
So, what is the ‘best’ approach to finding your best university?
One thing is clear, the “ideal” university is the one that meets your requirements and aims. The search should begin by defining your ‘best’ and then using GradRight to find your ideal shortlist.
Then, you can use your outreach and make the most of networking opportunities offered by GradRight to speak with peers, faculty, and alumni from universities. Then, make your decision.
