how to pick the right uni?

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

Reply 1

University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Official Rep

11

Original post by fieldofivy

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

Hi!

Have you had a chance to visit all of the universities you have offers from? I'd definitely recommend visiting as many open day/offer holder days as you can for them because it'll give you a real idea of whether you like spending time in that campus/city and if it feels right to you. :smile:

A few good things to consider when thinking about which to choose might be:
- How far away from home is it? Some people like being far away and others like being closer to home!
- What's the transport like? Is it easy to get to the campus from accommodation? How about public transport and parking in the city?
- What are the facilities like? Modern or older? What is their library/study spaces like?
- Have you looked at the rankings for that university or stats? How do they compare in terms of their ratings?

I'd also recommend chatting to current students either on here or Unibuddy too. A vast amount of unis will have student reps for most courses on Unibuddy pages, as well as some lecturers and other academic staff too so perhaps ask them some of their honest opinions about the universities and what it's like to be a current student!

All the best with making your decisions! :biggrin:

- Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Reply 2

flowersinmyhair

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Study Forum Helper

18

Original post by fieldofivy

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

What sort of things are you comparing? For me course content is very important, the location of the uni, the accomodation, the support available (specifically disability for me), how quiet the uni is, how far away the uni is from home.
These are the sort of things I've looked at when applying to unis and I hope this helps. If you have any questions please feel free to ask :smile:

Reply 3

fieldofivy

OP

5

i’ve been looking at similar things! course content isn’t a huge concern for me because it’s mostly optional modules tbh and they all have ones i like, but the rest is all pretty important. accommodation is def a huge one for me, but i’m finding it quite tricky to compare and not sure how to go about it? especially as i’m not sure how much my family can afford/would be willing to pay.

i liked both of the unis i have offers from when i visited open days a lot, but as i went in july i’m struggling to remember comparatively, and i also feel like i only approached those open days emotionally without thinking about any objective fact like the fact that i don’t tend to cope well in super busy places. although, i did really enjoy one of the city centre unis 🤷*♀️ i guess i just feel a bit lost because everything is kind of contradictory

Reply 4

Muttley79

20

Original post by fieldofivy

i’ve been looking at similar things! course content isn’t a huge concern for me because it’s mostly optional modules tbh and they all have ones i like, but the rest is all pretty important. accommodation is def a huge one for me, but i’m finding it quite tricky to compare and not sure how to go about it? especially as i’m not sure how much my family can afford/would be willing to pay.

i liked both of the unis i have offers from when i visited open days a lot, but as i went in july i’m struggling to remember comparatively, and i also feel like i only approached those open days emotionally without thinking about any objective fact like the fact that i don’t tend to cope well in super busy places. although, i did really enjoy one of the city centre unis 🤷*♀️ i guess i just feel a bit lost because everything is kind of contradictory

Ask if they have an offer holders day.

Reply 5

fieldofivy

OP

5

Original post by Muttley79

Ask if they have an offer holders day.

they do but i live 3-4 hours away and cannot afford to travel atm

Reply 6

Muttley79

20

Original post by fieldofivy

they do but i live 3-4 hours away and cannot afford to travel atm

Could your family help with transport?

Reply 7

normaw

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

19

Original post by fieldofivy

they do but i live 3-4 hours away and cannot afford to travel atm

Check the uni websites - some cover transport costs for open/offer holder days.

Reply 8

ChiefBrody

20

went to lots of Open Days with my daughter last year they do blur quite quickly, ultimately if you feel comfortable at a Uni you are likely to enjoy being there - so you seem to have that partially sorted and the next question becomes which one first because either will be good

As a parent I was interested in
(i) employability, does the Uni have good connections, good job fair, placements?
(ii) extra curricula stuff, does the Uni have events / sports / clubs that really appeal - Uni is way more than a place to study
(iii) locale, is the Uni near things that are of interest
(iv) safety, is the Uni and its locale safe?

Finally I would look up the UniGuide page for the programme to see stuff like employability, student experience etc

FWIW my daughter struggled to pick between Bath and Lancaster, Bath edged it on all the rational "criteria" but Lancaster "felt" like a better fit - as it happened she missed a grade, Bath declined and Lancaster accepted. She is very happy there

Reply 9

Ghostlady

21

Original post by fieldofivy

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

Daughter has the same issue with 2 unis last year. Maybe look at studying abroad, placement years, internships, research possibilities, distance away from home, what the city has to offer, societies. Even accommodation costs can be a factor to help decide.

Reply 10

Loughborough Student Community

Official Rep

11

Original post by fieldofivy

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

Hi @fieldofivy

Congrats on your offers that's fantastic!

I would first suggest taking a look at the course page for the courses you have offers for and take a look at the modules you would be studying and see if any particular course stands out to you. Also things like placement years or study abroad options might be of interest to you so it might be worth looking what's is offered at each uni on that front.

Something that really helped me when choosing which university to go to was to go and visit. Usually with an offer you will get invited to go to an offer holder day which is a great opportunity to meet students who do the course you have an offer for and to see some of the facilities you would be using at the uni. One of the most important things when choosing a uni is to choose somewhere where you can see yourself living and fitting in as you will be spending at least 3 years there. I think visiting the uni is one of the best ways to get a feel for the uni and whether you can picture yourself studying there and fitting in.

It's also worth considering the location of the unis and how close or far from home you want to be. Looking at the transport links from home to uni might be a good idea. I'd also suggest looking at the accommodation options at each uni and see if there's any you particularly like and also what you want from you accommodation (catered, self catered, en suite or shared bathrooms etc.).

I would also take a look at the extracurricular activities on offer. There might be a particular society or sports club you wanted to join so it's worth checking those out.

I hope this was helpful :smile:

Jess

Original post by fieldofivy

I've received 3 offers so far so im starting to think about where i might want to firm etc (maybe a bit early but im stressy ok) but i really dont know how to choose. i like all of the unis i applied to, and when i make pros and cons lists i just find that they all have equal amounts but slighly different reasoning. i think ive figured out one that i dont want to go to, but im not sure how im supposed to pick the one that i do want to be at. it doesn't help that the three offers ive received are all the same grade requirements either because i cant even use that in the equation. hopefully my last two decisions make it easier since they would be higher requirements? anyway, any advice would be much appreciated

Hi,

I had the same issue when it came to choosing my final choice but I would recommend, if you haven't already, attend an open day at all the universities you are considering and see which one feels like the right fit for you. Also simple things like speaking to past or current students on online platforms such as unibuddy to ask them about their courses and see if they can add any more pros or cons to your list.

I would also consider things like are you likely to miss home and if so how accessible is home from each university? This helped me choose as some universities required a full day of travelling to get home whereas some were far simpler.

I hope this helps out and please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.

Mary,
London South Bank University Student Rep (3rd year Children's Nursing)

how to pick the right uni?

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