How to choose the right university for you
With over 150 different institutions and thousands of courses, choosing the right place is a big decision. You might not know where to start or you might have been interested in a specific university for a while. Either way, this list will give you some prompts to think about when making that decision and will help you choose the right university for you.
Course
What courses universities have to offer might be one of the top things on your list as this is primarily what you are coming to university for. To do this check out university websites or prospectuses to check what they offer and what modules. All universities offer courses in different ways, so a good starting point for choosing a university is to make sure that the course they offer interests you and covers everything that you want to study. At York St John this can be done through our website or visit us at an open day to ask any questions you may have.
Types of universities
There are several types of UK universities. They can vary in size, age and location. Depending on what you’re looking for may shorten the list of potential candidates. If you are looking to branch out into a new city and get lost within the number of people, then a city university may be more for you or if you want to have more one to one teaching and have a stronger sense of community then a smaller campus university might be for you. These are all options to consider and research. York St John prides itself on students being names not numbers and this is reflected through our smaller campus with all accommodation sites being within a mile but also located with history next door.
Facilities
If you are looking at applying to a course such as design, sport, medicine, or others which have special facilities. It’s good to look at what the universities have to offer, for example, if one has better facilities than others or something you want to branch out into which you haven’t done before. Many universities offer open days which gives you the chance to visit the specific facilities and get a feel for what university life would be like working there. At York St John you can visit campus at an Open Day event or take an online tour.
Location
Choosing the right location can help you make the most of your time at university. You may want to stay close to home or experience living in a completely new place. Moving somewhere new can also offer you new experiences than living at home with this most likely being the first time you’re living independently. Alternatively, many students also choose to commute to cut costs or are limited by personal circumstances. However, you’ll still be able to immerse yourself in university life. If you decide to leave home, you have to take into consideration whether you want to move somewhere new and start your own independence or be a little closer to friends and family.
Overall feeling
When attending an Open Day it is important to see if you can picture yourself studying there and whether there is anything missing that you can look out for at other universities. It is also important to speak to staff and students to see how they feel about the university and ask any questions that you may have. Here at York St John University, we welcome everybody with our students advocating what it is really like to be a YSJ student.
