Uni choices

Go for the course that appeals to you most. It’s so important that you really enjoy what you’re doing in order to be able to motivate yourself to get your work done.

Falmouth is, as I understand, fairly well regarded professionally. In general though, within the creative industries where you studied is considerably less important than most other areas, from what I hear. To an extent they may want to tick off you have a degree at the appropriate classification, but the work you've produced and can show in a professional portfolio (usually a website or similar for graduates which they link to on their business cards), as well as networking generally, makes a much greater difference.

You may want to consider some aspects more generally about the locations - can you see yourself living in the area for 3 years? What are accommodation prices like, both for halls and in the private renting market (as it's likely you'll be living out of halls after first year). Having a friend already there is often nice, but inevitably you'll make friends outside of that, and you may find knowing someone there limits you initially as you avoid making connections with your course-mates to tread familiar ground, which can make it more difficult to make these connections later once friend groups have evolved.

I love both falmouth and norwich, both halls that i like are a bit pricey but id be working part time as well to pay off the rent. Also im usually a bit shy so i thought having a friend could push me to speak to others that sit near by etc. I keep looking into both unis and they both have successful alumnis and good business partners. I asked my teachers for their viewpoints but they said to follow my heart and touched upon how i was more happy with nua than fu. Im just in a confused state but i want to choose to sort out finance etc.

It might help to mentally “decide” - “I will firm NUA” and then just LIVE with that choice for a month. If by mid March you are still happy with it then it’s a good decision, if not then do the opposite. Mentally decide “I witfirm Falmouth” and live with that decision for a month. By mid April you should have a better idea which choice is better for you.

Little things are really just pushing me back, NUA was my first choice and when I was going to firm it all that went in my mind was "But Falmouth has better stats" "You won't do as good as you would if you went Falmouth" but when I think of firming Falmouth I think of similar things like "But NUA is accredited" "Your friends going NUA she'll do better"

I was looking at work at NUA on Instagram moments ago and loving it but those thoughts just come into my mind and I get confused about what to pick- I feel so much stress on my shoulders to if I pick the wrong choice I won't be happy as I could've been. I ask for people's opinions on both universities and they just tell me "do what makes you happy" I feel like at this point I just want their proper opinions.

The stats are historical. They’re the opinions and jobs that people who started the course 4 years ago think/got. They don’t reflect your personal chances of success. Dropping out of the course with the best stats because you aren’t happy is going to set you back far more than getting a good degree (and portfolio) from a university that has a lower profile.

It really does sound like you want to pick NUA but are worried that that isn’t the rational choice. Your reasons for wanting Falmouth are about other people’s opinions, your reasons for wanting NUA sound more like your own preferences.

Pick NUA. But don’t make it official on Track until mid April. If you don’t think you can succeed and produce your best work at NUA by mid April then firm Falmouth instead.