Uni. It's a really scary concept. Chances are if you're reading this you're probably considering going to Uni and the thought of the looming open day's are probably terrifying and exciting all in one nauseous burst. Well fear not friends because today I have 5 tips to help you out.
1. Stop worrying. It may seem like choosing the perfect Uni is the most important decision of your life but it really isn't. If you don't like the Uni you choose there ARE options for you. The majority of Universities (if not all) have a policy in place where you are free to transfer to somewhere else in the first term. My best friend did this and it was ridiculously easy!
2. Ignore the league tables. I know, I know they are really really tempting to obsess over (trust me) and you might think that making sure you are going to a Uni high in the tables is important. But just remember you have to be happy spending three years of your life in that Uni. Don't base it on a statistic.
3. In relation to the above point - don't let the league tables put you off a university because it is lower down. My university (Canterbury Christ Church) is currently at 101 on the Guardian League Tables and our main rivals Kent Uni are at 16. However the hilarity is that I have lecturers that teach English over at Kent as well. I also have a lecturer that used to teach in Oxford and I have a lecturer that studied at Cambridge. My university may be low on the league tables but that means bugger all when it comes to the quality of education I am receiving!
4. Walk around the city/town that your university is in. This is something that I think a lot of people overlook. We all go on visits around campus, but in reality you are not going to be spending a massive amount of time actually on campus. Check out the Library and go for a wander around the local areas to see if you get a feel for the place, you need to like the place you're living in or else it's going to be a boring 3 years!
5. Trust your gut instinct. If you get a bad vibe or anxious feelings about a University that are beyond the normal 'open day nerves' you should probably listen to it. I visited 4 of the 5 universities I listed as options and I only felt comfortable at one (the one I've been at for the past 3 years!). When I was doing my UCAS application I was convinced I wanted to go to my local university - University of Essex. It's literally 15 minutes away from my house which meant I could live at home and I really liked the sound of the course + it's good on the league tables and they had accepted me. However, I went to visit on Open Day and I absolutely hated it! So much so that I actually left crying. Whereas when I visited CCCU I instantly felt comfortable, happy and at home - equally so did my parents!
I hope this has helped if you're a prospective University student! Good luck in your search and I hope you find the perfect place for you! Also if you are thinking of an English Degree come check out CCCU, the course is great and the lecturers are wonderful!
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