Top 5 tips for picking the right university for you

Within the United Kingdom alone there are over 150 higher education institutions to choose from spanning the length and breadth of the country. This wealth of options can lead to confusion when choosing what university is the best pick for you. Having to shorten 150 choices to 5 can be a very complicated and stressful process that many students must go through each year. In the coming weeks, many students will have to choose which university is right for them and where they want to study for at least the next 3 years. Within this blog, we will look to give you some handy tips and pointers to help ease your stress in what can be a very overwhelming time.

Do your research

Before you decide on what university is best for you it’s imperative that you carry out some research. It’s important that you know what you want from your university and the experience you want to have whilst you are there. Knowing if you want to stay local or travel afar is important as it can hone your search to certain areas and locations, removing many of the universities from your search. Once you have decided on your preferred area you can decide on what courses are available within the universities in that area. Most universities will offer slightly different styles in content and teaching, and this means you can tailor your university education to a path that most suits you and any future career.

Contact the universities

When you have a rough idea of what you want from your university it’s a good idea to find the contact details of those universities and seek some more information. Doing this will allow you to assess your options in a more in-depth way. The universities in question will in most cases send you lots of information as to what is on offer and what you will get if you choose to study with them. Reading this information can help clear your mind and focus you on what you want from your experience and which provider can match that expectation. Having access to this knowledge of the universities should allow you to narrow it down to a handful of universities and courses.

Visit your universities

For many people visiting universities on open days can be the final piece of what can be a complicated and moving puzzle. Being able to see the university with your own eyes can give you a feel for a location that you may not have had from just information and research online. Spending a day or two at each university can show you what they are about and what they have to offer you moving forward. Things like sport and the city the university is based in can have a real effect on how you feel and how you approach your final choices. Visiting my university choices really helped me cement the idea of where I wanted to study and how I felt during these open days ultimately led to me choosing the right university for me.

Contacting alumni and lecturers

After you have visited your selected universities, you may find the opportunity arises for you to speak to current or past students and some lecturers. This is an invaluable resource that can give you an insiders view of the university as well as day to day life as a student. Being able to talk to people who have been in your shoes can only be a positive and can only help you to make a clearer decision. Having inside knowledge of the city and the university can help you when you pick your firm and secure choices. Eventually when you arrive on your first day having been able to talk your worries through with people who have been in the same boat as you can give you that head start that many others may not have. With this in mind speaking to past alumni about your worries, the course, the city etc can stand you in the best stead to excel when you arrive.

Trust your own feelings

Ultimately deciding on your university and course has to be down to you. You will come across many opinions and information during the application process which can be confusing. At the end of the day, the place you choose will play a big part in the future of your education and possibly your education and working life thereafter. This is why you must be comfortable with your choice as the university you attend will become your home and ultimately will be where you make amazing lifelong memories.

We hope that these tips and pointers will help you or someone you know in the coming weeks and months. We hope you all get the universities and courses that you want, and we wish you all the best of luck moving forward. If you have any tips or pointers around choosing the right university or course, we would love to hear them in the comments.

Until the next time, we have been The Almost Lawyers.