Blogs

Imagine this: You have opened a browser on your laptop and searched “best universities in Germany”. You have 40 open tabs in your browser, three of which are different ranking lists, and you are confused about where to start. Does this sound familiar?

This was me and this went on for three years.

When I received an A– on a college paper, I scheduled a meeting with my teaching assistant to discuss how I could improve. I wasn’t upset about the grade. I genuinely wanted to know what separated an A– paper from an A paper.

After listening to my questions, she smiled and reassured me.

“As someone who speaks English as a second language,” she said, “this is already an impressive paper. You should be very proud of yourself!”

She meant it as encouragement. Her tone was warm, her kindness unmistakable. But I walked away feeling strangely defeated.

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Sponsored content: created in partnership with ICN Business School.

Sponsored content: created in partnership with ICN Business School.

As a triple-accredited institution holding EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA recognition, ICN Business School belongs to the top one per cent of business schools worldwide to achieve this distinction. This global benchmark of academic quality immediately signals institutional credibility, international recognition and rigorous standards.