Schools
Can I trust the university-placement lists international schools publish?
Treat them as marketing, not verified data. A school's 'our graduates went to Oxford, Harvard, NUS…' list is self-reported, rarely audited, and almost never tells you what share of the cohort, with what grades, or whether placement reflects the school's teaching versus the family's resources. BrightKey never tiers a school on placement claims — we flag them as 'school-reported, unverified' every time.
The honest signals are verifiable: external accreditation (CIS/WASC/COBIS), a published inspection band where one exists (UK BSO, Dubai KHDA), and the teaching format your child will actually experience. Placement lists conflate selection (who the school admits) with value-add (what it teaches).
Ask instead: what's the destination breakdown for the whole cohort, not the highlights? What were the typical grades? What support exists when a student struggles? Those answer 'will this school serve my child' far better than a logo wall.
Reviewed by Priscilla Han. BrightKey is independent and takes no payment from schools or universities. Editorial standards.