Sheila Bauer
Raymond Ravaglia
Dr. Ray Ravaglia and Sheila K. Bauer, co-founders of AccessUSA
Without an overarching strategy focused on long-term goals — such as postgrad education and fulfilling employment — tactical victories may prove hollow triumphs
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest path to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War
On the issue of university admissions, Indian families often seem to be engaged in intense tactical battles. Every year, students and parents pore over QS rankings, obsess about cut-off percentages, worry about standardised test scores, and strategise around extracurricular activities — all in the cause of securing admission to a university with an impressive brand name and top global ranking. In this hyper-competitive chase, one crucial element is often overlooked: long-term strategic thinking. The ultimate goal shouldn’t be mere admission, because admission is a small step in the journey toward the ultimate goal of a purposeful life.
Of course tactics — immediate steps, such as cracking entrance exams, acing interviews, and shortlisting ‘top-ranked’ universities — assist students in winning battles. However, without an overarching strategy focused on long-term goals — such as attending elite postgrad institutions or securing prestigious employment — tactical victories may prove hollow triumphs.
Parents and educators often mistakenly assume that admission into a globally high ranked university guarantees career success. This assumption is mistaken because QS and similar rankings primarily assess universities based on academic reputation, research output, faculty citations, and international student ratios. While these parameters might be significant for evaluating institutional excellence, and determining where to seek a faculty position, they have little correlation with a student’s career success or preparedness for advanced postgrad studies.
As education leader and author Pramath Raj Sinha stressed in a 2024 talk at Welham Girls’ School, Dehradun, true educational value is not delivered by rankings or prestigious reputation but by the match between a student and her chosen institution. Sinha repeatedly emphasises that the ‘right’ university is one best suited to the student’s current developmental stage and future goals — not necessarily the most famous or highest-ranked.
This strategic perspective significantly shifts the conversation. Instead of asking, “Which is the best-ranked university my child can get into?” parents and educators should ask, “Which university is most suitable to help my child reach the next level of her personal and professional growth?”
Consider, for example, students whose long-term goal is to attend prestigious postgrad institutions — perhaps a top-tier business, law, or medical school. For them, the prime strategy during undergraduate years should be on acquiring robust preparatory skills, developing critical thinking capability, securing valuable research or internship experiences, and building meaningful mentorship connections. Often, the universities best positioned to offer these strategic advantages are not necessarily the ones dominating QS or other rankings, in which faculty and institutional interests are more commonly aligned with research goals than student development.
Academic research from institutions like Stanford University supports this strategic mindset, see (https://ed.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/challenge_success_white_paper_on_college_admissions_10.1.2018-reduced.pdf#:~:text=COLLEGE%20SELECTIVITY%20IS%20NOT%20A,a%20modest%20relationship%20between%20financial)
These research studies demonstrate that successful long-term outcomes — admission into elite postgrad programs and/or securing satisfactory employment — are significantly impacted by the quality of mentorship, undergraduate internship experiences, and personal development opportunities available in undergrad education.
Universities such as Kettering, Drexel, and Northeastern, to name only a few, are outstanding for their structured, supportive, and highly effective curricula to ensuring that all students acquire valuable work experience, and are well-prepared for successful careers.
Likewise, a student’s cultural fit, happiness, and confidence at a university directly affects her academic performance and personal development. Studies consistently show that students perform best in environments aligned with their personalities, learning styles, and development stage. The ‘ideal’ university provides customised academic and extracurricular experiences that enable students to thrive, and enhance their preparedness for future opportunities.
The obsession with tactics, such as admissions selectivity should be given lower priority to broader strategic thinking. Success in life rarely comes from ephemeral tactical victories; it is the outcome of strategic positioning. The value and purpose of university education do not end with admission; that’s merely the beginning of a long journey that’s likely to include postgraduate study and culminate with employment. This end must be kept in mind. Only then can undergrad university education fulfill its true promise: to serve as a stepping stone toward achieving higher ambition, enduring career success, and personal fulfillment.
