Choosing a University...

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There are over 100 Universities in the British Isles from the prestigious and ancient Oxford and Cambridge to the recently formed Chichester and Edge Hill. They vary in size from Manchester University that accommodates a staggering 50,000 students on one site to Liverpool Hope with 3,500 full time students. There are Universities in every major City in Britain from Plymouth to Aberdeen and from Belfast to London.

But how do you start the process of making an informed choice? Well let’s start with the academic side. A key consideration, of course is predicted grades. Universities are ranked according to certain criteria such as teaching, student satisfaction and research excellence. There are a number of independently compiled rankings including the Times Good University Guide. In general terms the high-ranking Universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College will have higher entrance requirements than lower ranked Universities. However, entrance requirements also vary according to subject popularity.

University league tables should be taken as a guide only. Those ranked toward the bottom end are by no means bad institutions; and students should not be put off applying for a place. It is interesting to note that some of the lowest ranked Universities come out very well in the student satisfaction surveys.

The University, subject and the class of degree will all affect the employment prospects of a graduate. A first from Oxford in law, whilst not guaranteeing a successful career, will certainly open a few doors! Vocational subjects such as Teaching, Accountancy and Law will generally provide better immediate job prospects than more academic subjects such as English and History but this is by no means always the case.

There are universities all over the country and some are situated in large Cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester whilst others have more tranquil surroundings in Exeter, Canterbury or York.  Some students will like the buzz of the big city while others will opt for the relative peace and quiet of a small town. Interests and leisure pursuits may also play a part in deciding which university to choose. Those who enjoy water sports such as sailing or wind surfing may be drawn towards coastal Cities such as Plymouth or Aberystwyth. For those interested in theatre, London is an obvious choice.

A campus University has all or most of their facilities on one site. Normally located on the edge of town they are attractive and safe places to live and study. Notable Campus Universities include Warwick, Kent, Exeter and York. Some Universities could reasonably described as semi-campus whereby they have a Campus but also have many facilities situated off-site. Leeds, Imperial and Newcastle would all fall into this category. Other Universities have buildings and other facilities dotted all over the town or city. Portsmouth and Sheffield are examples.        

Other considerations when choosing a University may be accommodation, cost of living and travelling. The majority of universities provide accommodation for most, if not all, of first year undergraduate students. A hall of residence is the ideal introduction to university life for most students.  Having said that it can be noisy and boisterous so may not suit everyone! It is normal to leave halls in the second year and move into a student house or flat with friends. The quality and cost of accommodation varies from place to place. London and the southeast are expensive whilst the large northern cities such as Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester are more reasonable.      

The idea of moving as far away from home may sound appealing to some but beware! Travelling to and from University may be expensive and difficult and may make weekend home visits all but impossible.