When the time comes to decide on a university, everyone wants to give you advice – from the teacher who thinks you should take a certain subject, to your parents worried about your job prospects, or even that next-door neighbour who went to a red-brick establishment 50 years ago. But if you want to make the most of the university experience, it’s vital to pick the one that is right for you, not your advisers.
“Your reasons for coming to uni should be for your benefit, rather than pressure from family members or teachers,” says Rob Black, mental health and wellbeing service manager at Bath Spa University. “It should be something you want to do, and not something you feel like you have to do to please someone else. Finding the right place is about being true to yourself and having an honest conversation with yourself.”
So how do you find the right university? They come in many different sizes and with many different specialisms, so start by narrowing down what you want. Ryan Lucas, president of Bath Spa University students’ union, started by Googling his chosen subject, philosophy. “The content of the course is so important, so make sure you check it,” he says. “A-level philosophy was very westernised, but at Bath Spa [University], I did religion, philosophy and ethics, and we focused a lot more on eastern philosophy and religions, which I was really interested in. I wanted to explore different cultures and backgrounds, how we are in the western world and how eastern concepts and principles fit with that.”
To get a real feel for universities, Black advises going to as many open days as you can and talking to students and tutors. Lucas certainly found that useful. “I was the first in my family to go to university,” he says. “Nobody had ever been before, so it was unknown. I Googled lots of philosophy courses, and Bath Spa came up. I came to the open day and within 10 minutes I said: ‘This is the uni for me, I’m definitely coming here.’ I spoke to one of the lecturers, then took a gap year, then I was on my first day at Bath.
“My mum was very shocked – she never thought I’d follow it through! But I knew within 10 minutes that this was the place for me. So go along and get a feel for it. Speak to students and tutors about what it means to them. It’s good to get your head around the whole culture of what it means to be a student, so that you make the right choice.”
Have a look, as well, at the scholarships and bursaries that different universities offer – they can take some of the financial pressure off. Bath Spa University’s undergraduate scholarship programme aims to recognise potential and passion as well as academic achievements; an award of £750 is given for exceeding predicted grades, for achieving high grades, or for an outstanding portfolio or audition for courses such as music, dance, acting, art and design.
The setting of the university, of course, is also key to your choice. Are you the kind of person who will thrive in a big city environment on a large, inner-city campus? Or would you enjoy a quieter location, a little away from possible distractions? Maybe a campus that’s near a city but not actually in it is what you’re after? Lucas says he was drawn to his uni because it’s relatively small, with around 8,000 students.
“I felt that I had more opportunity to be me in a small university,” he says. “With the big universities, you blend in with the crowd. I wanted to put my own footprint on the university while I’m here. I wanted a place with a homely feel. At Bath Spa, you are constantly seeing people you know. It’s very welcoming and warm, and from my experience you don’t get that in the bigger universities. It’s near a city and it’s a wonderful base to explore the area, as well. I’ve spent so many weekends at places such as Cheddar Gorge, or Glastonbury, or the Bristol Aquarium. I feel like I’ve really made the most of my time here.”
Of course, it’s important to leave university with a good degree, Lucas says. But it’s a much bigger experience than that – and one that needs careful thought. “You’ve got the opportunity to get out there and build your CV in a way that isn’t just about your degree. You want to know that you are picking a course that you enjoy and that you can participate in for three to five years. But you also want to know that you are going somewhere where you’ll feel comfortable. It’s looking at that whole experience of being a student. There’s a lot more to being at university than coming out with a first at the end of it – so pick the one that suits you.”
For more information, visit bathspa.ac.uk
