Visiting a university before committing is vital. Parents can help, but students should have the final word.
By Annabelle Thorpe, 03 Aug 2011
Selecting the right university has never been an easy process: which course; which county; campus or city-based; close to home or at the other end of the country?
These days, with more students competing for fewer places and annual tuition fees on the rise, making the right choice has never been more important. But for sixth-formers still grappling with the study leap from GCSEs to A-level, the process can be overwhelming — and a gentle parental steer may prove invaluable.
The primary consideration for most students is the course, and there is plenty of research available on which institutions are the best for individual subjects. The Daily Telegraph’s University and Course Finder tool compares universities using 14 different criteria, from entry standards to employment prospects.
Useful, too, are The Complete University Guide league tables, which show the top universities in 52 different subjects, while Ucas also offers a course search, encompassing all of its 305 members and listing the grades required for each one.
League tables are all very well, but for most students it is university open days that give the best insight into whether a particular institution will suit them. “Our research shows that 40 per cent of those who drop out in their first year never attended an open day,” says Matthew Cunningham, director of communications at Ucas. “They really are an essential part of the process — it’s the only way to get a real flavour of what life at a particular university will be like.”
Open days are also an ideal way for parents to get involved. “We went to numerous open days,” says Corrie Brown, who has one son studying Law at Bristol University, and another who has just graduated with a degree in Digital Electronics from Sheffield. “It meant that we could have a meaningful conversation afterwards and share different perspectives.”
She believes parental involvement is essential but that it is important not to be pushy. “It’s a good idea to look at prospectuses independently,” she says. “That way you can tactfully point out any pitfalls your child might have overlooked, while allowing them to get to know the different options under their own steam.”
Never underestimate the value of talking to other parents who are going through the same process, and try to chat to teenagers’ teachers. After all, they’re likely to have up-to-date experience that can help your research. The internet becomes invaluable at this point, too, for downloading prospectuses and gathering facts about seats of learning.
Courses aside, it’s vital to help young people understand that universities differ significantly in character. Three years in Manchester won't be the same as studying in a small town such as St Andrews.
“Campus-based universities offer a different experience to those in the centre of a city,” says David Alder, director of communications at Bristol University “but it’s always important to visit the nearest town or city as it will inevitably form the backdrop to university life. Parents should also get a feel for the location as they need to be happy with where their child is living.”
Recalling his own student experience at a “godforsaken campus a few miles outside of a small town that reminded me of school”, parent Jim Gillespie advised his sons to choose carefully. “Finding somewhere that suits your child is crucial. Favour a bigger city, where the university is part of city life and there’s lots going on.
Ideal are universities that have halls-of-residence places for all first-year students, giving them opportunities to make friends.”
Often, the location swings the final decision: 20 years ago, when I visited the University of Kent, it was the town of Canterbury that convinced me I’d be happy living there. Two decades on, when I decided to study for an MA, the lush campus at Sussex, surrounded by the South Downs, was almost as much of a draw for a Londoner as the course itself.
So what pitfalls should be avoided? “Realism is key to finding the right university,” says Cunningham. “There’s no point applying for five top courses at five top universities if all your choices require straight-As. Realism is also important in terms of how far to go from home — it might feel like an adventure to be five hours away, but will that really suit you and your child over a three-year period?”
Hefty tuition fees from 2012 are an additional worry and may determine whether students choose a university that enables them to continue living at home. A recent White Paper on further education has identified students living at home, or studying closer to it, as a huge growth area. “Both our sons decided to study at Liverpool University and live at home,” says Sue Ormsby, who lives in the city and admits their decision was a surprise. “My husband and I expected them to move away, but neither boy wanted to run up an even bigger student debt.”
You should also prepare for the fact that your child might set their heart on a university that you feel is unsuitable. “My son was offered conditional places at both Cambridge and University College London [UCL] to study English,” says Clare Markham, who lives in Norfolk. “I took him to the open day at Cambridge and it looked wonderful. But when we visited UCL he kept saying, 'It’s so much more real.’ To me, Cambridge seemed to offer the best possibilities for the future but I had to accept that he knew where he’d be happiest.”
Ultimately it is their decision and sometimes an instinctive reaction is the best indicator of all. “I liked the University of East Anglia [UEA] because I could choose all of my modules rather than having set courses,” says Becky Smith, currently studying History.
“But it was the location itself that convinced me. I wanted to be campus-based and when I went to the open day I just fell in love with the place.”
Article on: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8675455/Choosing-the-right-university-How-to-make-the-decision.html
She believes parental involvement is essential but that it is important not to be pushy. “It’s a good idea to look at prospectuses independently,” she says. “That way you can tactfully point out any pitfalls your child might have overlooked, while allowing them to get to know the different options under their own steam.”
Never underestimate the value of talking to other parents who are going through the same process, and try to chat to teenagers’ teachers. After all, they’re likely to have up-to-date experience that can help your research. The internet becomes invaluable at this point, too, for downloading prospectuses and gathering facts about seats of learning.
Courses aside, it’s vital to help young people understand that universities differ significantly in character. Three years in Manchester won't be the same as studying in a small town such as St Andrews.
“Campus-based universities offer a different experience to those in the centre of a city,” says David Alder, director of communications at Bristol University “but it’s always important to visit the nearest town or city as it will inevitably form the backdrop to university life. Parents should also get a feel for the location as they need to be happy with where their child is living.”
Recalling his own student experience at a “godforsaken campus a few miles outside of a small town that reminded me of school”, parent Jim Gillespie advised his sons to choose carefully. “Finding somewhere that suits your child is crucial. Favour a bigger city, where the university is part of city life and there’s lots going on.
Ideal are universities that have halls-of-residence places for all first-year students, giving them opportunities to make friends.”
Often, the location swings the final decision: 20 years ago, when I visited the University of Kent, it was the town of Canterbury that convinced me I’d be happy living there. Two decades on, when I decided to study for an MA, the lush campus at Sussex, surrounded by the South Downs, was almost as much of a draw for a Londoner as the course itself.
So what pitfalls should be avoided? “Realism is key to finding the right university,” says Cunningham. “There’s no point applying for five top courses at five top universities if all your choices require straight-As. Realism is also important in terms of how far to go from home — it might feel like an adventure to be five hours away, but will that really suit you and your child over a three-year period?”
Hefty tuition fees from 2012 are an additional worry and may determine whether students choose a university that enables them to continue living at home. A recent White Paper on further education has identified students living at home, or studying closer to it, as a huge growth area. “Both our sons decided to study at Liverpool University and live at home,” says Sue Ormsby, who lives in the city and admits their decision was a surprise. “My husband and I expected them to move away, but neither boy wanted to run up an even bigger student debt.”
You should also prepare for the fact that your child might set their heart on a university that you feel is unsuitable. “My son was offered conditional places at both Cambridge and University College London [UCL] to study English,” says Clare Markham, who lives in Norfolk. “I took him to the open day at Cambridge and it looked wonderful. But when we visited UCL he kept saying, 'It’s so much more real.’ To me, Cambridge seemed to offer the best possibilities for the future but I had to accept that he knew where he’d be happiest.”
Ultimately it is their decision and sometimes an instinctive reaction is the best indicator of all. “I liked the University of East Anglia [UEA] because I could choose all of my modules rather than having set courses,” says Becky Smith, currently studying History.
“But it was the location itself that convinced me. I wanted to be campus-based and when I went to the open day I just fell in love with the place.”
Article on: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8675455/Choosing-the-right-university-How-to-make-the-decision.html
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