Choosing a university
Estelle Mattis
Psychology BSc(Hons)
Hey! My name is Estelle and I’m in my second year studying Psychology at the University of Huddersfield.
Making my university decision
It’s been a while since I was in my last year of college thinking about what I was going to do once I finished, but I remember the nerves well!
It can be very overwhelming and stressful, making a decision that will impact the next few years - and potentially even the career you choose to pursue.
There were so many great universities to choose from and having to decide on five to apply to was daunting. However, the more support you can get during such an uncertain time, the better, so I’m going to give you as much advice as I can by talking about what I did when choosing a university.
Choosing courses
Firstly, I thought about which course I wanted to pursue. This wasn’t a hard choice, in college I enjoyed Psychology the most. Although I didn’t know exactly which career I wanted to follow, I knew that it was a vast enough area that I could study what coincided with my interests the most and figure out the rest later. My priority here, was choosing a subject that balanced enjoyment and had the potential to lead to a good career.
Next, I considered whether I wanted to remain at home or move into accommodation to study. I knew that many of my friends were moving quite far, and it is part of the stereotypical image of ‘university’ to move into halls with roommates and experience that new independence. However, I personally wasn’t too keen on moving out just yet. This limited my choices quite a lot, as there were only five universities close enough for me to commute to daily. However, since you can only choose five universities in UCAS, this was all I needed.
The process of filling out my UCAS application was aided a lot by my college tutors and parents, who helped run through the choices, my thoughts and preferences, allowing me to come to a firm decision.
Some people start thinking about their university decisions earlier or later than the last year of college, and this process of deciding can be easier for some, and more difficult for others. For example, some students know which universities they hope to apply to from their first year of college, or even since high school. Other students don’t know if they wish to go to university (or what they would study if they did), so they get a job and may decide later that they want to give university a try. Each of these paths are just as valid as the next!
Information from universities
My advice for those considering university is to do as much research as possible. Read the universities' websites, sign up for prospectuses, attend Open Days and online events.
Also, it is very important to get a feel for how the university functions outside of academics. Does it have a good reputation for supporting and maintaining a relationship with students? Does it prioritise students’ health and wellbeing? These things will all be vital during your study and should be big points of interest when you’re making your decisions.
UCAS, (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), is an independent charity and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education – this means that you apply to universities through UCAS.
UCAS is an important tool in supporting the daunting transition into further education, providing helpful information on many different topics such as choosing what and where to study, what you can do next, tips and helpful advice about student life, courses and providers. The UCAS website also offers advice and support about applying.
Many valuable resources can be found on its website where you can access advisors, resources, and a multitude of other helpful information for your journey into further education tailored to your needs, wants and interests.
You can also find useful information on the University of Huddersfield's website about applying to join an undergraduate course.
I wish you lots of luck in choosing your university!
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