There are more than 150 universities and colleges in the UK. These range from historic institutions to modern universities to niche programmes. Not to mention all the different online programmes you can choose from. But how do you choose which educational institution you’ll attend? How do you know which school is right for you? These are all important questions to answer, as they will all have an effect on your education career opportunities upon graduation. Here are a few things you should consider when looking for the best university for you.
Have a Rough Idea of What You Want to Do
Ideally, you’ll have a rough idea of what you want to study. Do you want to go into medicine, law, business, education or engineering? If you’ve already decided on a specific path like pharmacy, physical therapy, video game design, or high tech startups, this will dramatically narrow down the pool of potential schools.
For instance, some schools like Aston University Birmingham are known for their business school. So, if this is something you are interested in, this is the type of university you could give a second look at. If you do want to become an Aston student and want to learn more about the school and their programmes, you can use Uni Compare to find all of the basic information about them. They run down things such as the average tariff points accepted for instance. They also outline the costs associated with attending the school, as well as some of the perks, clubs, and services the school offers. This is handy to look at no matter which university you’re considering.
Determine a General Location
This process could be as simple as limiting your search to schools within commuting distance of home since this allows you to eliminate room and board from the budget. If you are set on living in a given area, this will allow you to eliminate a lot of schools from your list. However, some students may have to compromise between where they study and how much they travel, if they don’t want to earn a degree available at nearly every school.
Find Out Their Rankings
The rankings help you strike the worst options off your list. You can check out publications that rank universities on the national or international level. Make sure to not only check university ranks, however; you also want to check how they rank for the programme you were interested in.
Run the Numbers
You need to know how much each programme will cost you while you’re in attendance. What are the course fees and accommodation costs like? In some cases, this could lead you to choose a university in a cheaper city or county. Or, you may choose a more intensive programme that offers a short specialised education instead of a slower four or six-year programme. This may cost more per year, but you’ll hit the workforce sooner.
Visit the School
Lastly, make sure that you visit a few schools to determine whether it offers the amenities you’d like or is located in a safe part of town. Go on open days, and ask a lot of questions. This is the best way to learn about student life and decide between the last schools on your list.
The UK has hundreds of universities, but it is essential to find the right school for you. Do your homework so that you don’t regret your choice.