Choosing a university is a big decision. With the introduction of tuition fees many students find themselves heavily in debt by the time their course is completed. For the 20% or so who drop out before completion they are often left facing an avalanche of debt and no degree to show to perspective employers. Â
Obviously the first step to take when choosing a university is to decide on the course you are going to take. As you will be studying the same subject for three or four years it goes without saying that you need a passion for the subject. Â
There is so much more to choosing a university than just picking a subject and seeing which university is top rated. All universities and colleges are different. What might suit a sibling or even your best friend is not necessarily right for you, so it is worth carrying out a series of checks long before you make your final decision. Â
Some factors you may wish to consider include the social and sports amenities offered by the university, cost of living in the local area, how easy it is to find decent accommodation, what the local transport network is like and what the local area is like. You may also consider how far it is away from your home base. Â
As tuition fees rise there is a temptation to attend more local universities. Even if this doesn’t appeal to you it is worth checking out if there are a large proportion of students at your chosen university who live locally and have grown up in the area. If this is the case you may find that a number of the students on your course already have an established network of friends. This can make it harder to break into a new social group. You may also be interested to know the number of mature students who are likely to attend your course. You could have a surprise to find you are one of only a small number of teenagers on your course. Â
The best way to check out a university is to attend its open days. These will give you an idea of what the university is like. It will also give you an opportunity to look round the local area and get a feel for what the area is like and to check out accommodation options. It is also worthwhile staying overnight to check out what happens after dark. Some universities also offer taster days, weekends and weeks. These are an excellent way to get to know a university and may save you from making a very costly mistake.