Part 4: School Rankings and Decision Making
This summer, we’ve been myth-busting the most common myths about post-secondary admissions in Canada. In case you missed it, you can check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Today, we’re discussing school rankings, why these likely aren’t that helpful to your decision-making, and what is.
MYTH #7 & #8:
University X is a good school. University X is a bad school.
The question isn’t whether a school is “good” or “bad”– it’s whether it’s the right fit. Unfortunately, many families spend enormous energy chasing prestige rankings, and students sometimes end up at a “top” school in a program or city that doesn’t suit them at all, while a different institution that might have been a perfect fit never made the shortlist.
Understanding rankings and selectivity in context
University rankings– which lead to lists of “good” schools– are largely driven by research output, faculty publications, and institutional reputation. These metrics often have less to do with the day-to-day undergraduate experience than families assume. A highly ranked university isn’t necessarily the place with the best professors for your program, the strongest co-op network in your field, or a community where you will thrive.
A big part of what makes a school appear elite is simply the number of people applying to it. The most competitive schools tend to be large institutions in major urban centers, which means their admissions averages reflect demand as much as quality. A smaller university in a mid-sized city may offer an equally rigorous program, stronger faculty-to-student ratios, and better hands-on research opportunities for undergraduates without the same name recognition.
There is also the idea that graduating from a higher-ranked school leads directly to better employment outcomes. In fact, the reality is less clear-cut. Career paths after graduation are shaped by your specific program, the skills and experiences you accumulated along the way, the networks you built, and the industry you’re entering, much more than the name on your degree.
In all my years working with students, I’ve never once had an employer ask where a student’s university ranked nationally before discussing what they studied, what experiences they had, or what skills they developed. That doesn’t mean institutional reputation never matters, but it is rarely the deciding factor families imagine it to be.
Importantly, different employers recruit differently. Some large firms do target specific schools for certain roles, but many industries– including much of the tech sector, the nonprofit world, healthcare, education, and the trades– care far more about what you can do than where you studied. And increasingly, the professional networks you build during your undergraduate years, whether through co-op placements, research projects, clubs, or part-time work, matter as much as your institution.
Personalizing the process
When we evaluate fit with students, we look dimensionally at academics, personality and learning style, and wider opportunities or outcomes.
A school or program is an academic fit if the program genuinely matches what you want to study, with a curriculum and teaching style that suits how you learn. Canada has over 80 universities offering more than 5,600 work-integrated learning programs– co-ops, internships, practicums, and applied research opportunities– that vary enormously from school to school. For many students and employers, a strong co-op record (work experiences and references on your resume) is worth more than an institutional brand name.
There is something about personal fit that is hard to describe– but most people recognize it (or not) when they visit a campus and get a sense of institutional culture, size, location, and community. A student who thrives in small seminars and close faculty relationships may be lost in a lecture hall of 400. A student who needs the energy of a large city may struggle in an isolated campus town. These things matter enormously for wellbeing, performance, and ultimately success.
Because schools offer much more than their brand name, it is critical to understand what each school uniquely offers: research access, scholarships, experiential learning, international exchange programs, or specialized facilities. Smaller schools, in particular, often offer undergraduates research and leadership opportunities that aren’t available to first- or second-year students at larger institutions.
The real question to ask
The most important question we ask students isn’t “what’s the best school?” It’s “what’s the best school for you?” That answer depends on what you want to study, how you learn, where you want to live, what kinds of experiences and opportunities matter to you, and what you want your life to look like after graduation.
When we take the time to answer those questions honestly– and we do, in detail, with every student we work with– the right schools tend to become obvious. And very often, they are not the schools students assumed were “the best” when the process began.
Ready to start thinking about the best schools for you? Contact us today to get started.
Admissions is a dynamic field and process. This post was written in June of 2026, and the information discussed was accurate at the time of writing, but that information may be different when you are reading this post. Please check each institution’s website for the most recent information.
