Choosing The Right University for You

Choosing whether or not you want to study after college is a hard enough decision. But choosing what course you want to start at university is definitely harder, life-changing decision. People often say that if you choose to study and later work something that brings you joy and happiness, you are not going to work a single day in your life, and this is the truth.

Because of that following your heart and choosing the course you are most interested into and see yourself enjoying in future, is a very, very important decision, no matter the fact that we don’t want to make you fill rushed and overwhelmed. If you are one of those lucky young people that already know very well what they are going to study, then the next more challenging decision-making process is linked to choosing the right university for you. Actually, this is not a hard and challenging decision anymore, because today we are going to provide you with a few simple, but very helpful and effective tips and tricks on how to choose the right university easily!

Choosing the right university in the UK is definitely not an easy task, mainly because of the fact that there are more than 150 institutes, each of them offering different courses, subjects and modules, experiences, opportunities and chances. Considering the fact that you are going to spend a few years of your life mostly at university, it is easy to understand why you need to take your time and do good research. Not rushing your decision and making sure that you have chosen the best university for your requirements and desires.

First of all, the main aspiration and aim of going to a university is not simply getting a degree at something and opening a lot of job opportunities (although this is very, very important too), but to study and learn something new, exciting, important and useful, right? Think of university you investing not only in your future but in enriching your culture and experience in general. So learning and studying should be your priorities when choosing on an institute. Here is how to get your priorities straight…

Prestige or flexibility

Cambridge and Oxford - seem to be an amazing idea and opportunity for the majority of us. Both universities have some great traditions and are ranked on top lists and rankings not only in the UK but worldwide. However, prestige and recognition are not necessarily the best options for your individual case and desires and maybe it is about time to start thinking not only of a good name and reputation but also about what you want from your university and what kind of experience you are looking for.

Oxford and Cambridge, for example, might not be as flexible as a degree elsewhere, so do not get misled by the names and reputations only, but dig a bit deeper and give chance to universities that are not as popular. Research many options, even the non-popular ones and the ones you are either neglecting or you do not imagine yourself there and you might be pleasantly surprised. So, make sure to decide, are you going for prestige, or you are going for flexibility?

Work placements and job opportunities

At the end of the day, finding a good job after finishing university is one of the most important goals of going to university in general. Here is a very important chance for you to decide are you going to pursue a more academic, or more practical experience, while at the university. While studying and academic experience sounds like the obvious choice for every young adult looking for a university. You should widen your horizons and consider a more practical experience. Many universities and courses offer students a full year in an industry of their choice.

This can be a great kick-start for your future career, because experience will not only offer you the opportunity to see how things are happening behind the curtain and gain some general idea on what you want to do in your life and whether or not you enjoy the career of your choice, but also such an experience will be a very important part of your CV. In general, a year of experience in the industry is a very eye-opening experience. It is worth thinking and considering the kind of degree you want and the opportunities you want to get from it.

Optional modules

One of the greatest aspects of the British high education system is the opportunities it offers for modules that are outside the main subject of the study. Think of it as a great additional experience and, why not, a chance to have a glance at another industry and area and maybe change your decision for good.

So the essence of choosing the right university for you is based on making sure you know what you want from your course, what is right for you and what type of experience will be the most important and helpful for you. However, there are many other factors to determine and affect your final decision. Some of them are not dependent on you and your desires and requirements, so you need to be aware of them too.

For example, let’s say that you want to study a not very popular course, or something very unique and you see the potential. You might find yourself in a situation, where you are limited of choice and there are not many universities that offer the course you want to start. In this case, your choices will be automatically narrowed down. However, if you want to study something more fundamental and popular, we are sure that you will have a lot of freedom and flexibility when choosing a university.

Considering the fact that course choice is the main reason why so many students drop out and withdraw from university, your priority should be choosing the right degree for you. At the end of the day, it is really not that extremely important where you are going to study, but what you are going to study and whether or not you enjoy it, you learn your modules with enthusiasm and pleasure, even when you find them challenging. Keep in mind that changing courses at university is not impossible, so this is not a lifetime decision, but it is definitely difficult, time-consuming and often costly.