Which university? Education
Which university?
Navigating the university application process can seem like a minefield. Violet Naylor-Leyland has some essential tips for A-level students
with such luxury of choice, the decision becomes tricky. Where do you start? Do you check out Te Times Good
G When narrowing down your final choices, it’s crucial you pitch yourself
University Guide and apply to the top five? Or, do you go for the university your brother’s at? Do you opt for a university with a good academic reputation, a vocationally geared smaller specialist institute or somewhere you know you’ll have a wild time? Which is better: rural, urban, modern, campus-based or inner city? With at least three years of your life resting on these
important decisions, it seems the options are endless. Te good news is they can be narrowed down by considering your personal preferences and by doing some plain old-fashioned research.
realistically. I’ve known several A-grade students who chose only the most popular universities and were rejected by all five
ALAN BULLOCK Careers advisor and author
First choose your course Whether you’ve decided on a vocationally driven course, a subject you’re already good at, or something totally new you feel passionate about, it’s worth looking at the universities that do it best. Find them using league tables, guide books and websites (see our website for more details). Te official site for ranking universities is
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk which lists everything from number of employed graduates to student satisfaction. Seek advice from teachers, school careers advisors, your parents, siblings and friends. Oxford graduate Louis Mosley says: “It’s important to get advice from people who understand you and what you’re interested in. If the course ends up being something you’re not interested in, you may not finish it and then you’ve wasted, perhaps two years.” Most universities are sympathetic to undergraduates
www.firstelevenmagazine.co.uk Summer 2011 FirstEleven 29
one are the days of “Oxford, Cambridge or forget it!” Tere are now more than 280 universities and higher education institutes to choose from, many beating Oxbridge in the subject league tables. But
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