As early entry forms are just around the corner, and more students are starting to sign up with UCAS, we wanted to share our top tips for researching, picking and applying for universities. Our first university-themed post is going to guide you through researching and thinking about which university is right for you. Following today’s blog entry, over the next few weeks we’ll be posting information about how to get through the UCAS process and help you to ensure that your application is the best that it can be.
Firstly, research university open days! You’re going to be in living at this university for the next 3-4 years, so you want to make sure that you like it; a great way to check this is to visit your future university. Since most universities only run a few open days per year, it’s really important that you check well in advance the dates for the universities that you are considering – especially if you’re going to need to travel. Going round the university will help you to get an idea of what sports and societies the university has to offer, but most importantly, it will give you the chance to talk to students at that university and find out how their experience has been. It will give you an idea of the organisation of the university, what the accommodation is like and the quality of the teaching. It’s also key to visit the accommodation if you are able to visit your possible future university, as it’s nice to know where you’re going to be living and what it’s going to be like.
Research your course! For many students, there will be a wide range of courses available and within those courses there will be a good variety of different modules that you can take. Make sure you research the topics that your courses will be covering, as you don’t want to be stuck studying for exams on subjects that you are not particularly interested in! If you do have some ideas of possible future careers, then you could consider choosing a course which matches that pathway.
Make sure you read the entry requirements carefully and check the league tables. University league tables can be really useful for telling you about student satisfaction and how many students were able to obtain a job after graduating, not just about how academic the university is. It’s really important that you think about what you want to get out of university, and if you’re looking to go into the job market post graduation then pick a university with a year in industry or great job prospects for the subject that you want to study. When looking at entry requirements, remember that universities often have to decrease these on results day, and since you have five choices, don’t be afraid to apply to a university with slightly higher grades than you are predicted – you never know, what could happen! Also, make sure to have at least one insurance university though.
If you want any advice from us or our tutors then please feel free to get in contact, we’re always happy to chat, whether it’s the stress of picking the right university for you or making sure you get the grades you want, there’s plenty of help available. If you want to know where you’re at with your studies you can also book a free assessment with us.
