Deciding what University to go to can be tough, it’s such a big decision and there are so many things to think about! In this blog I will explain how I made my decision and the things I did to make the process easier.

My top tips:

1. Do your research – It is so important to do your research beforehand so you can be sure you are making the best decision for you. Here are the things I looked for…

• The courses on offer in my subject area of interest, the modules covered and how practical the course was overall (I wanted something hands)
• The facilities at the University relevant to my course of interest/department e.g. Bournemouth has Poole Gateway building with incredible facilities for media students including TV Studios, edit suites and a green screen
• The reputation of my subject at each University – I read student blogs and forums to see what universities were ranked highly for media courses
• Whether a placement option was offered – I knew real working experience was really important so looked for somewhere that offered this opportunity
• What societies were on offer – I always knew I wanted to do student radio so it was important for me to join a Uni with an active student station
• Accommodation options, the prices and their distance from the University campus
• Distance from the University to my home, and the travel options and costs
• What public transport was like in the area so I knew how I would be getting to uni and how much this was likely to cost me, see if the Uni/local transport companies offer discounts e.g. Uni bus annual pass
• Amenities/things to do e.g. shops, restaurants, a gym etc

2. Attend an open day – Universities normally run a few open days each term and these are a great way to get a feel for the uni by speaking to the teaching team and current students as well as seeing the campus, accommodation and surrounding areas.

3. Check out the social media pages/content of the Universities you are interested in – this includes the uni run social media but also there may be students producing content for their own channels about their life at uni, particularly on TikTok and YouTube.

4. Think about what you like and where you’d like to live e.g. would you prefer a city or a campus uni, are you someone who likes the outdoors and wants to be by the beach or would you prefer a busy Uni in the heart of a major city.

5. Take your time – there is no rush to make a decision, it is better you spend time looking at all your options and asking questions as that is how you’ll be able to make the best decision for you, the more informed you are the better and there is so much advice and many resources out there to help you.

Find out more

Understanding UCAS and How to Apply.