Choosing a university is a big thing. It’s one of the biggest decisions of your life. So when it comes to deciding you need to make sure you’ve picked the right university for you. There’s so much to consider when choosing where to study. You need to think about things such as the university’s ranking, the location, the university campus and the feedback for your course.

For me, I had always been told that Bournemouth University was one of most respected places to study media. It’s the UK’s only centre of excellence for media and so it was always a very strong contender when considering where to study. I also looked at other universities all known to be good for my course. One thing I had to keep in mind was making sure the course was exactly what I wanted to do.

You’ll be studying your degree for three-four years, so you need to make sure that it’s the right one for you. There are so many different variations of courses and they all cover different topics so make sure you research in detail everything you’ll be doing, from start to finish. For me, the BU curriculum was better suited than the other unis I looked at. It’s also key to check out the learning style. How much is independent learning and how much is spent in a lecture/seminar? Is there any group work or is it all individual? How are you going to be assessed – is it all exams or mainly coursework? All these questions are dependant on how you are as a person and should help you narrow down which university to pick!

In my eyes, location is one of biggest factors when choosing a university. If you don’t like a town/city then how are you expected to live there for the next 3-4 years and enjoy it? I think it’s really important to check the location out – maybe even stay there for a few nights just so you can get a feel of the place. Coming from Brighton, I wanted a place by the sea and with a good night life and I think I got very lucky with Bournemouth as it has both of these as well as being well rated for media.

I haven’t yet decided whether I prefer Brighton or Bournemouth beach!

Another thing to consider is you. Do the universities you’re looking at support how you are as a person? Do you want to travel? If so, is there an option for you to study abroad or various trips you could go on? Are you the sort of person that gets homesick? If so maybe don’t choose a university that’ll take you ages to get to. Are you a city person who likes a lot going on, or are you a country person who enjoys long walks and the good ol’ fresh air? Do you have a certain goal, belief or view and does the university support them? All these factors are things you need to consider when choosing your university.

Placements, placements, placements! These are so important during your degree whether they last for a whole year or just a few weeks. You need to consider how well connected your university is with your chosen industry – do they offer good placement opportunities in your field? How many students go out on placements? What were their experiences like? How easy was it to apply? All universities should be able to provide you with this information so don’t panic!

I hope this helps you in choosing your university! I know it’s a lot of information to take in, but it’s all relevant and important. Good luck on your applications and hopefully see you guys in September!

F x