(this post might sound rushed and the writing might be rough because i'm low key panicking rn)
Hi guys, I got accepted into both the uni of Bristol and the Sorbonne Paris 1 university for law (undergraduate level), and i've got to decide which one to go to in the next 5 days (before they close for vacation). Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful to have gotten these opportunities, but currently I am completely lost. Here are some key points I think are important to consider
- I'm based in France and I applied to unis in the UK because they are generelly ranked better and the teaching is usually of higher quality (It was noticeable during open days, taster sessions and offer holder days). Furthermore, at the time I was applying, I was dead set on doing commercial law and an English law degree would open so many more doors than a French one, as the main offices of big firms are usually in London (of course Paris is still exceptional, but I know people doing undergrad law in France and people doing an undergad law degree in England, and it is harder to get experience in France than England/Wales). However right now i'm not so sure helping big corporations is what I really want to do. I've taken interest in working on social justice in organizations/NGOs/ institutions like the EU (obviously this is still an extremely competitive field and the pay won't be near anything big law could offer, but I have found passion in this sector).
-Another thing is the language. I am bilingual, and i've undertaken most of my education in France. During high school I did this program called the OIB where basically half of the curriculum is in French and the other half in English (it's adjusted to the A-level/AP standard). During this, I realized that even though I have a strong command of both languages, I feel much more at ease with English (the ideas and words flow much more easily orally and when i'm writing). I feel like this is important, especially in law. Also, I just really prefer English over French to be honest.
-Costs : In France I would pay virtually nothing for uni, apart from living costs. In the UK I would have to take out a loan for tuition fees and living costs which amount to 20K of debt per year, so 60k in total... It is the loan supplied by the uk government though so it would be wiped out after 30 years and I would only pay according to whatever salary I would earn.
-Both unis are really good for law, Bristol is better ranked though. I was set on going to Bristol for a long time, but now i'm not so sure. It's too big of a decision for a high school graduate. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for reading this far!!