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University

What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.

I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Reply 1

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham
To decide which uni was for me, I looked at the modules on offer at each one and put them in order of which I would enjoy the most. Then I made a list of what I wanted from a university. The thing that helped me the most was visiting each one as seeing it in person at an open day, looking around, seeing accommodation and all the facilities and talking to the tutors in the department and the staff in all the student support sections really helped me get a feel for the uni. I’d highly recommend going on open days as they really do help you see how you’d feel there.

Good luck!

Reply 2

My best friend is in her first year of uni, and she wished that she knew just how much more demanding providing for herself would be. She needs to shop and make all of her own meals, and she didn't realise just how time-consuming it would be to do that properly.

Reply 3

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi @sophiew555

I hope you are well! Deciding on a uni can be a tough decision and one to think about very carefully! There are so many different things to think about which can make it so much harder!

When deciding on the uni that was best for me I thought about a couple of main things. I looked at the location in particular. I think the location is just as important as what the course is like. I had been to Liverpool before and really liked the vibe and the feel about the city. I felt welcomed and safe and always something going on and therefore knew I would enjoy university here!

I also thought carefully about the course and the content of the course. Even though a course is named the same at different unis, the content can vary and therefore one might be more suitable than the other. I looked through the content that I would be learning at LJMU and most importantly the way that I would be assessed and I much preferred LJMU to anywhere else that I was considering!

Attending open days or campus tours are a must too! They really help to get a feel for the place and you can really judge a lot by attending them. Also have a think about whether you would prefer a city campus uni or a main campus uni as sometimes the experience can be different to how you imagined!

I hope this has helped a bit and good luck with your decision making! It does seem scary but I am sure you will pick the best place for you!

If you have any other questions then let me know, I am more than happy to help!

Thanks, Matt 😊
Official LJMU Student Rep

Reply 4

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hey @sophiew555

Thought I would just add a few previous posts I have done that you might find useful

Tips on Making a University Choice - The Student Room
Key factors to consider when choosing a university - The Student Room
Why Location is Important When Choosing a University - The Student Room
My Deciding Factors For Choosing Kingston University - The Student Room

I hope this helps and good luck with your decision :smile:
-Grace (Kingston Rep)

Reply 5

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi!

I definitely agree with what’s been said above about location - it really does make a big difference. Since LSE, Sheffield, and Birmingham are all in very different cities, I’d recommend visiting (if you can) to get a proper feel for each place and see if you like both the campuses and the cities those unis are located in. If you’re a home student rather than international you might also consider how far it is from home.

Student life is another big factor - have a look at what clubs, societies, and events are on offer, and what the general vibe is like. Some unis are known for having more of a close-knit or active community, while others are a bit more independent.

I’d also look into the course structure at each uni - what modules you’d take in first year, how flexible it is with optional modules later on, and whether you like the style of teaching and assessment.

It’s also worth checking out what kind of career support is available, especially if you already have a rough idea of what field you might want to go into. Some unis have stronger industry links or more targeted support in certain areas.

Lastly, think about things like accommodation, living costs, and how far from campus you’d be living - especially in London, where travel can add up.

Overall it comes down to what you feel is the most important and defining factor to you. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!

Best wishes,
Jasmine (Student Ambassador)
Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi Sophie,

If I am being completely honest, Vibes. :five:

Sure I looked at courses, and the equipment, and facilities they had, but once I narrowed the list down to my top two I just picked based on the vibe of the city. Because yes, Uni is studying but if i didn’t want to go out in the place where I was living for 3 (possibly more) years, that would have been awful. Even if the Uni itself was the top in the country according to course stats.

So my advice. Go spend a day not at the Uni looking at courses but in its communal areas and exploring the city/town you’d be living in.

As for what I wished I’d known, now this might sound silly, but having a big dry bag as a laundry basket instead of an actual laundry basket. If you end up in the top floor of an accommodation, with a flat made afraid of lifts and the laundry in another building, having a backpack laundry bag instead of an awkward square basket is so much easier to move about with. Plus when it’s time to move out, it packs flat, and it can be used for days out or once you move home or get a permanent place to live after Uni you have a dry bag for adventures.

Hope this helps,

Eleanor
University of Salford Rep
Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi @sophiew555!

It's great to hear that you're considering Uni of Sheffield! Picking what University is right for you can be a tricky decision and it's great that you're giving it so much thought as it will help you to choose the right course & uni for you!🙂

That's a really good question! I would of course recommend looking at the course structure and module leads, alongside the relevant facilities available for your course. You might want to also consider student accommodation, student support services, studying facilities (eg do you like the libraries there and do they suit your learning needs?), the uni campus itself, and the selection of societies/ sports clubs (and facilities available). I found that it helped to write down what you would hope for from a uni by thinking about what you'd anticipate a week of uni to look like. It may raise small things to consider that you haven't even thought about! For example, if you currently study a language outside of Sixth Form and want to continue this, you may want to look at what opportunities the uni has to accommodate. If you have a hobby in such as music, it might be worth looking at available music facilities and comparing between unis. If you think you'd be doing lots of walking/ visiting cafes and restaurants/ concerts/ clubbing, again, it might be a good idea to look at how the different universities compare for these!😊

I found that the best way to gauge how you felt about a University was to go for an Open Day! It allows you to meet staff for your course, meet other prospective applicants, and to meet current students. Current students can help to give you their perspective of the course in real-time, and might mention something that you hadn't realised / considered when it comes to the course! They can also help in discussing why they chose the course at that uni, as well as telling you all about student life in that city. On Open Days, I would also recommend having a look at the accommodation as well as making time to visit the local area/ city to see if you could 'picture yourself' at that uni. Once I had visited different universities, it became clear to me which was my top choice as I could really envision myself there! I loved the course and facilities here, but the welcoming vibe, the societies available, and the city really nailed the choice for me.

You can find our Undergraduate Open Day dates here if it's something you're interested in! 🤗 Equally, if you wanted to talk all things course-related without visiting, you can speak to a current student here using this link!

What course is it you are hoping to do?🙂

-Alicia, Final Year Medical Student + Intercalated BSc Medical Research Sciences
Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi @sophiew555

What I looked for to decide my uni choices were: how long is the commute from via car and public transport because I didn't want to take 6 hours to get home if an emergency happened, how far and easily accessible is the univeristy/halls from the main town/city as that may be where the closest train station/clubs/resturants/cinema are, what does the closest city/town have to offer so you have a choice of activities to do during the week rather than being bored in your room, how close is the accommodation to campus and is there a bus offered to get there, is there catered accommodation offered, can you stay in uni accommodation after 1st year - as i know Warwick doesn't allow this, what is the general expense of the city/town - can find from onliine websites to give a general idea of cost of living in the area, is laundry free in uni accommodation - this is a big saver in the long term, what contact hours do you generally have - for example in law some universities offered 12 hours a fortnight whilst in chemistry it can 12 a week, and what facilities/extras does your course offer - so for law is mooting offered or in marine biology in Southampton we go on a boat to collect data.

What I wished I known is: which campus is most my studies at - the best way to find this is by going to open days to talk to current students to understand their experience, is this any required fieldtrips - this should be found on the universities module information.

I would suggest to go to open days just to have a better grasp and bearing of the university and surrounding areas.

Hope this helps.
~Emily

Reply 9

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hey,

Such a good question!!

A few things I considered were:

-Location and cost of living
-Course structure (assessment styles, modules, work experience/ placements, etc)
-Campus atmosphere
-Support services

Keep in mind that your experience depends more on you than the university name/ rank. To be honest, gut feelings and how I felt after open days told me everything I needed to know! If you can picture yourself there, and you feel uplifted from visiting a certain campus, then that might be a good choice for you! Best of luck!!

Sabina :smile:

Reply 10

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi @sophiew555👋

Hope you are well. Some things I wished I knew before going to University is that time goes fast! Make the most of your experience. Go out and explore campus and town and attend events when you can and focus on your studies because time goes by really fast.

Another thing is to know that at first it will feel overwhelming but you will get settled in quickly. Workload will increase but it is ok and you will keep up as long as you take priority.

When looking at universities, I looked at facilities for the psychology department and focused on location and how much support and information they were giving me. I loved Essex because of the nature on campus such as the Wivenhoe trail and how convenient having accommodation on campus was for me to wake up and only do a 5 minute walk to classes. Knowing Essex had such good research opportunities and facilities confirmed my choice as well as the information they gave to me before I joined which really welcomed me and gave me a sense if comfort🙂 Hope this helps!

Essex Student Rep- Lavanya 💜

Reply 11

Hey hey! This is such a good question because honestly, I have been in your exact same position. Choosing a university feels like a huge decision but I have learnt that a lot of the things that actually shape your experience are not that obvious. Fortunately, I have had no regrets and so I am hoping this will help!

Things I wish I knew:

1.

Your day to day life matters more than the uni's reputation


So considering things like:

•

How long your commute is

•

Whether you like the city

•

Cost of living

•

Campus vibe

•

How easy it is to make friends


These shape your routine and you can learn all this by visiting the University's website and social media.

1.

You will not instantly find your 'people'

Honestly, movies made it look like I would find my best friends in week one. But I later learnt that in reality:

•

Friendships take months to settle

•

You will meet lots of temporary people first and that is okay

•

Feeling awkward at the start is completely normal

•

The best friendships can be made in the most unconventional of ways


Knowing all of this actually saves so much unnecessary self doubt.

1.

Independence is found within the freedom

I thought freedom came from just no longer having guardians/parental supervision. But it actually also comes from:

•

cooking regularly

•

managing money

•

quiet evenings alone sometimes

•

motivating yourself to study


It is all about learning to build your own structure.

1.

Motivation does not magically appear at uni

Small habits help with organisation. So things like:

•

reviewing notes weekly

•

starting assignments early

•

treating study time like scheduled time


Self-management is absolutely key.

A few things that helped me choose:

•

Consider the course structure beyond looking just at the course title

•

I considered the student lifestyle and atmosphere by taking virtual tours, watching student vlogs and student forums

•

Looking at the universities support systems like academic support, wellbeing services, careers help

•

Considering cost of living


Remember, there is rarely one perfect university. It is more about suitability and growth. I later learnt that your mindset and willingness to get involved often shapes your experience. I hope this helped and I wish you all the best 🙂

Ru
BCU student rep.

Reply 12

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi Sophie,

There's lots of great advice here from other reps about deciding which university to choose, and I think there are many things that contribute to picking out a university, so make sure you have a list of things to prioritise - location, societies and of course the content covered in the course. Then at an open day make sure to quiz student ambassadors about these things and then decide how well each university does in each category.

I wish I knew that you might not (and don't have to be) best friends with your flatmates (as long as you're all polite to each other). Instagram is very different from reality - seeing friends from school/college having amazing nights out with flatmates can feel overwhelming but no uni experience is better or worse than another. There's an expectation to 'find your people' at university, but it's unlikely to happen instantly and it's best to give yourself time. Finally, don't be too hard on yourself, the new independence is a big adjustment so make sure to manage your lecture, study, chores/errands, hobbies and give yourself plenty of relaxing time (which is productive too).

Good luck with university, I'm sure you'll choose the university that's right for you.
Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi Sophiew555,

When I went to look at universities on open days and offer holder days, I mostly focused on the course they taught (options available to me to take), the accommodation available, the what's available in the town/city (shops, restaurants, parks, etc), the overall vibe of the university and the city and what societies were available at the university. Also, I was interested in what support there was for students (mental health, personal tutor, study support) which helped me choose which university I wanted to go to. However, I think the main thing was the vibe of the university which helped me choose where I wanted to go.

I definitely believe that going to visit the universities is a great way to choose which university you prefer.

Good luck in choosing where you want to go.
Emily
(Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 14

Original post
by sophiew555
What are some things you guys wish you knew before going university and what things did you look at before going to help you decide which university was for you.
I’m trying to decide between LSE, Sheffield and Birmingham

Hi @sophiew555 ,

It is hard to decide where to go to uni and it can feel like a big thing to sort out so I wanted to add some of my points onto this discussion!

Things I looked for:

•

What modules the course offered. Every uni will have different modules and there will be some that you like the sound of more than others so have a look on the course page of each uni and you should be able to find a list of modules to look at.


•

How the course was assessed. I prefer coursework over exams so I was looking at how the majority of the course is assessed and seeing which I liked.


•

How much support the uni offers. Some may offer more than others, and some may give you a specific advisor and some it might be more general so it depends how much support you would like to be able to have access to, and how best you work.


•

The social life was also important to me. Have a look what societies are on offer, what events the uni puts on and what the social life is like at that uni in general!



Some things I wish I knew:

•

It is harder than I thought to come up with meal plans, food shop and cook for one person! Try and practice this at home if you can as it will help.


•

I found it harder than I thought to adjust to uni life and I think this was helped by joining societies as it gave me time to get out of my flat and do something I enjoy and I also met lots of great people which helped a lot too.


•

I also found it tricky to adjust to having strict rules in terms of work and having a teacher at school helping you more than at uni. However, this is why I was glad that I chose a supportive uni where I have an academic advisor so again this is something to look for.



I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador 🙂

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