It's coming up to that time of year again. By now, your UCAS Applications should have been completed and sent off and you'll be waiting for offers from your chosen Universities. However, which University do you choose?
It's one of the hardest decisions you'll ever have to make, and also one of the most important. You want to choose somewhere where you are going to thrive and grow as a person. Where you feel safe, happy and will want to spend the next three or four years of your life.
The best thing to do is to go and visit the University for their open days. This is the one thing that will help you ultimately decided which University you will be starting at in August. When you go to these open days, you get a feel for the University, talk to the lecturers of your chosen course and look around the student accommodation. The best open days to go too are held in the term time because you get a real feel for the University and the City you will be living in. You probably won't believe me when I say this to you, but as soon as you enter the University, you'll know straight away if it's somewhere you want to be. If you don't feel comfortable then don't even consider it. You want to feel safe and happy.
Another thing to consider is if you want to live away from home. If you are 100% sure that you don't want to move away and live in student accommodation, then don't choose a University that's a six hour drive away from where you live. The reason I chose Liverpool is because it was far enough from home that I could live away, but close enough to home that I could get home if I needed too. If you're querying about moving away, my advice is to just go for it. When you arrive, every single person is in the same boat, but you'll form such a close bond with your flat mates and you'll meet so many new people. Also, you find that you become much more independent as a person, you have a lot more freedom and it's a nice thing to have responsibility. When you go home and see your parents, you'll also discover that there will be less arguments, because you spend more time catching up on all the gossip you've missed whilst you have been away.
It's not just the University you choose that you need to be comfortable with, you need to be content with your surroundings. If you don't feel safe in the city you will be living in, then please don't go and study there because I can guarantee that you won't enjoy your experience. Do you hate cities? No problem, there are plenty of Universities in little towns such as Bangor and Crewe. Make sure you've considered all of your options. Don't just jump in and make an instant decision. Some Uni's don't turn out the way you want them to be. Make sure that you feel inspired, especially if you're doing a creative course.
Once you've received all of your University offers, I would recommend, if you can, going looking at the University you are thinking of choosing as your firm choice one more time to make sure that it's definitely right for you. Sometimes, you can change your mind, but that's okay, as long as you're going to be happy.
Finally, the last thing is the grades, or points, you'll need to get into the University. Make sure you have a safety net to fall back on if exams don't go your way. If you're only predicted to get B's or C's don't choose two A* Universities as your final choices, you need something you can fall back on, and you don't want to be disappointed on results day. Also remember that there's always clearing, so if you don't get the grades, there's still a chance you'll get in.
All I can say to you now is that you need to follow your dreams, and do what you love. Do not let anyone force you into going to a Uni or doing a course that you don't want to do; make sure that you are doing what you want to do. Make sure that you work hard for your exams, all the hard work pays off in the end I promise! :)
Good Luck!
Lots of Love,
Meg
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