University Series #6 – Choosing A Course At University

While a lot of people are in their first few weeks of university, (myself included!), college students will be starting the whole process. In my University Series I’m going to include some posts aimed at at college students or those getting back into higher education. Going to university can be a life changing decision so make sure you do as much research as possible and that you choose the right course for the right reasons. 

It’s best to choose a course that interests you; doing something that bores you will eventually make you lose interest which could in turn harm your quality of work. Also, if you do something you enjoy, you’re more likely to want to work your hardest and do your best! When picking a course, you need to ensure that you look at the entry requirements. Sometimes it may be that you need to secure yourself certain grades, or you need to submit an example piece of work. Make sure you don’t apply for a course that requires something you don’t have!

First of all, you need to think about which universities you would like to study at, and to do this you need to consider the following:

• Do you want to move to another part of the country or stay at home? Each university will offer something different so you need to think where you would like to be.
• If you choose to move to somewhere you don’t know very well or have never been, be sure to research the location so you can find out what it can offer you.
• For extra advice, speak to family, friends, students, the university itself, or you’re welcome to email me if you’d like to speak to someone who isn’t directly involved!

What is the best university? Of course there is no answer to this. Each university will offer something different; it depends what you want to study basically. Start by thinking about the following: What subject interests you the most? Do I need a specific qualification for what I want to do in the future? What am I particularly talented at? Is there a specific job I want for the future?

If you can’t answer the above, just keep them in mind.  You don’t want to go in blind and get overwhelmed by the number of courses available! Unistats is a great website to check out, it helps you to gather more information about courses and different universities. 

From experience, I would pick out a range of courses that interest you, and then list the pros and cons of each. If you weigh up each of your options of each course, it will help you to see the ones that stick out for you! Do the same for the universities. The course may sound great but does the university have the right facilities for you? Does it have enough student support to help you through the course? 

Open days are extremely important to attend. If you are interested in a certain university, be sure to check out when it’s open days are and have a good look around. Open days usually offer subject talks, tours of the campus and facilities and gives you the chance to talk to students and staff. Personally, going to a university open day completely changed my mind on a certain university; it really shows you how important they are. Whilst you’re at the open day, have a look at the location too. This can also be a huge factor.

If you have any questions feel free to email me!

Thank you for reading,

Amy x