Prestige vs purpose: How students are rethinking college choice today

For decades, the idea of higher education success was simple and rigid. Get into a top-ranked institute – an IIT or IIM in India, or preferably a big Ivy League or similar status university in a popular destination country, and everything else would fall into place.

Rankings, brand names, and prestige dominated conversations at home, in schools, and across counselling rooms.

The IC3 Student Quest Report 2025, based on responses from over 230,000 students across more than 110 countries, suggests that this thinking is now under serious pressure.

Drawing on five years of data between 2020 and 2024, along with a global survey of students from the graduating classes of 2026 and 2027, the report shows a clear shift.

Students are no longer making decisions based on prestige alone. Instead, they are weighing purpose, mental well-being, affordability, safety, and long-term career relevance far more carefully than earlier cohorts.

Importantly, the report does not suggest that prestige has disappeared from consideration. Rather, it shows that prestige now operates alongside a wider set of practical and personal concerns.

For this generation, the idea of success is becoming personal, practical, and deeply tied to everyday quality of life rather than just aiming for an IIT or IIM.

STUDENT VALUES ARE SHIFTING, AND THE DATA SHOWS IT

One of the clearest signals in the report is the declining importance of traditional prestige markers. Between 2021 and 2024, the importance score for college prestige dropped from 2.84 to 2.52 on a 4-point scale.

During the same period, the prioritisation of destination country also declined, falling from 2.24 to 1.91.

In contrast, career prospects remained the most influential factor throughout these years, with a stable cumulative score ranging between 3.13 and 3.30.

This consistency shows that students are not abandoning ambition. What they are abandoning is the idea that ambition must be tied to a famous name or location.

At the same time, the field of study has gained importance. Its priority score rose from 1.73 in 2021 to 2.40 in 2023 and stabilised at 2.38 in 2024.

This suggests that students are thinking less about where they study and more about what they study, and how relevant it will be to the kind of work they want to do.

At the same time, the report notes that university ranking and programme recognition remained among the most frequently cited considerations in 2024, and expected post-graduation salary emerged as the third most commonly reported factor.

The report describes this as a move towards more pragmatic and purpose-driven decision-making, where academic alignment and long-term outcomes matter more than symbolic status.

The following table shows the shift in importance of prestige and destination:

MENTAL WELL-BEING IS NO LONGER A SIDE ISSUE

For students today, mental health has moved from the margins to the centre of university decision-making.

The report repeatedly highlights that students from the batches of 2026 and 2027 are shaped by long-term disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly because they experienced it during critical middle school years.

These cohorts faced interruptions in emotional, social, and cognitive development at a stage when structure and peer interaction are essential. As a result, issues such as anxiety, confidence, adaptability, and self-regulation continue to influence how students approach post-secondary choices.

The report notes that students are placing greater emphasis on the availability of institutional support services, including emotional, psychological, and academic support. Universities that clearly communicate these services are increasingly favoured.

This shift also explains why students are rethinking what “success” looks like. For many, success now includes stability, balance, and mental safety, instead of just academic reputation.

The following table shows how academic relevance has gained importance:

AFFORDABILITY AND STRESS ARE DEEPLY LINKED

Financial considerations have become inseparable from mental well-being. The report shows that students are carefully weighing the cost of education and its long-term implications.

In the 2024 Student Quest Report data referenced in the study, 57.08% of students identified expected financial remuneration as a major influence on career decisions. This makes it the most influential factor in that dataset.

At the same time, 49.67% of students said alignment with personal values played a major role.

These figures point to a dual lens through which students are now viewing education. They want economic security, but not at the cost of personal meaning or emotional burnout.

Affordability is no longer just about tuition fees. It is tied to stress levels, future flexibility, and the ability to make life choices without long-term financial pressure.

The following table shows the major college decision influencers for students today:

SAFETY, BELONGING, AND EVERYDAY LIFE MATTER MORE

Campus safety and a sense of belonging are also playing a stronger role in how students evaluate institutions.

The report highlights that for internationally mobile and immigrant students, factors such as visa regulations, safety, affordability, and community integration significantly shape decision-making.

These considerations reflect a broader concern for everyday quality of life. Students are not just imagining classrooms and degrees; they are imagining daily routines, support systems, and environments where they can function without constant fear or pressure.

So, hardship seems to not be normalised as part of chasing prestige anymore.

However, the data suggests students are balancing these concerns with continued attention to institutional reputation and financial outcomes, rather than replacing one with the other.

DIGITAL NATIVES ARE REDEFINING HOW CHOICES ARE MADE

Students in the graduating classes of 2026 and 2027 are described in the report as digital natives. Their decision-making is shaped by constant access to online information, virtual engagement platforms, and digital tools.

Technology has become central to how students research careers, explore universities, and compare options.

However, the report also points to a growing gap between student behaviour and counsellor preparedness, particularly around artificial intelligence and digital advising tools.

This digital environment adds another layer to how success is defined. Online communities, flexible learning models, and digital self-expression now influence perceptions of institutional fit and support.

SUCCESS IS NO LONGER LINEAR

The report also notes rising uncertainty around post-secondary plans. Rather than clear domestic or international college choices, a growing number of students report being undecided about higher studies.

This reflects a world where education is no longer seen as a straight line from degree to job. Students are considering alternative pathways, reassessing timelines, and remaining open to change in response to economic uncertainty and shifting labour markets.

Education, in this context, is viewed as part of a broader ecosystem rather than a guaranteed ladder.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR UNIVERSITIES

By redefining success, students are quietly challenging institutions to rethink how they present themselves. Academic excellence still matters, but it is no longer enough.

The IC3 Student Quest 2025 report frames this moment as a call for universities to position themselves not only as centres of learning, but as environments that support purpose, balance, safety, and long-term resilience.

Institutions that continue to rely solely on rankings and reputation risk sounding out of touch to a generation that is navigating far more complexity than before.

Prestige still carries weight. But it is no longer the only language of success.

Success, in 2025, is not about looking impressive on paper. It is about surviving, adapting, and building a life that feels sustainable.