10 ways to work out if a university and course is the right fit for you
Choosing a course and a university is a tricky business.
First you have to decide what subject you want to do, and then you need to work out where the best place is to study it.
There are loads of complexities involved, and there is a journey to go through, as you start by casting your net wide and then gradually narrow down your options to the right final choices.
But wherever you are in this journey, there are some key questions that you really need to ask.
In this back-to-basics article, I suggest ten things that you should definitely be thinking about as you make your choices.
From campus life to teaching style, accommodation, cost of living and careers, we look at the essentials of finding your best fit course.
1. Location and campus style
How far is it from home? Is it a campus, or a city-based university? Is it a large university with tens of thousands of students, or a small community, where you can get to know almost everyone? Are there loads of student societies that everyone gets involved in, or do most students study from home, with the university being purely a place of learning?
Every university will be a little bit different, but the answers to these questions are rarely black and white. It's also pretty likely that you don't yet know precisely what is important to you until you experience it.
So it's worth spending a bit of time reflecting on yourself; what type of environment feels like the one where you can see yourself flourishing?
I always knew that I was a city person, that I would thrive in a large, busy place, and I wanted somewhere where there would always be loads of student activities that I could throw myself into.
Edinburgh fitted the bill perfectly for me. But it will be different for you.
So once you have some idea of what the ideal university looks like for you, compare your ideal with each university you are considering.
Ultimately, the question will be: "Can I really see myself living, studying and (most importantly) thriving there?"
2. Applied vs research
We all know that Russell Group universities constantly bang on about their research-led teaching. But it’s also true that another 30 or so universities pride themselves on the same, while the other half of the sector will focus more on applied teaching.
But what does it mean for you?
Well, put simply, research-led courses are concerned with pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge. They’ll want you to learn about academic process and rigour. You’ll likely study lots of different theories in your subject, and be expected to write essays discussing the merits of each and how the theories could be improved.
More applied courses, on the other hand, will be concerned with taking existing models, and applying them to the real world, through practical projects and assignments.
While most courses will include some element of each, they will definitely have a bias towards one over the other. So think about which would suit you better, and read the course descriptions carefully to find the right balance for you.
3. Class size
Some of the most popular courses can have class sizes in the hundreds. And while large lectures are almost always supported with some small group teaching, there is a big difference between being in a year group of 40 and a year group of 400.
With just 40 students, you’ll know everyone, including all the lecturers. With 400, you’ll need to find your crowd, and while you may get to know a handful of lecturers, there is no way that they will all know you.
Some flourish in big departments, while others find it a real challenge.
Which are you?
4. Choice of options
One of the real benefits of a large department can be the sheer range of choices and options you have.
In a large English department, for example, you’ll probably find the majority of your course after year one will be chosen from a massive list, with everything from early gothic poetry to modern creative writing.
Whereas in a small department you might not have any options at all, other than your choice of dissertation.
So when you choose your course, you need to balance your preference on class size with the range of options that are available that interest you.
5. Contact hours
Contact hours vary more by subject than they do by university. For arts and humanities courses, you might not have much more than ten hours, while for science, engineering and medicine courses it is likely to be twice that.
But between universities there will be some variability - especially in practical, vocational and creative courses.
So have a think about whether you are self-motivated enough to keep going with your studies, outside of your scheduled classes, or whether you are someone who needs the structure that more contact hours can give.
Then choose accordingly!
6. Entry grades
There is real merit in finding a university and a course where the entry requirements are a good match for what you are expecting.
Sure, you could decide you just want to go to the universities with the very highest grades. These are the most popular and prestigious courses right? But be aware that if you have to bust a gut to get in, then there is every chance you’ll have to bust a gut to do well on the course. And that may not be the best idea!
On the other hand, choosing a course that is too easy to get into might mean you are just not challenged enough, and that could leave you disappointed.
There is a middle route between being challenged and being over-stretched.
It’s worth trying to find that sweet spot.
7. Accommodation
First up, I really don’t think that this should be right at the top of your thinking when choosing a university.
In terms of “is the accommodation any good?” I’d suggest that wherever you go, you’ll find similar options, similar standards, similar choices, and it won’t be the definitive aspect of whether you should choose that university.
Never-the-less, you will want to check a few basic things about the accommodation available at your potential choices:
Do they guarantee you accommodation in your first year? Most large traditional universities do; some of the newer and more specialist places don't.
How much does the accommodation cost? And if it varies, how much cheaper accommodation is available, and how much is at the top end of the price range?
What is the quality of the accommodation? There will be big differences here, and of course you generally get what you pay for. So when you look at accommodation options, check the price vs quality ratio. Be realistic with this so you are not disappointed when the room you are allocated doesn't match the one you were hoping for.
Where is the accommodation? Some universities will have rooms right on campus next to the academic buildings, for others there will be a separate site, or the rooms will be spread across town.
How are the allocations made? How likely are you to get your first choice of accommodation? The main thing is that you don't want to be forced to stay in accommodation that is in the wrong place, or worse still, accommodation that you simply can't afford,
What is the situation for second year and beyond? Most universities won't provide rooms for everyone, so what does the private housing market look like?
8. Cost of living
Cost of living varies a lot across the country, and while it would be amazing if all students were supported well enough that they didn't need to consider it, that would be naive. For the majority of students, the loan plus parent contribution simply isn't enough. So finding an affordable city to live in makes a lot of sense!
So for some sensible, realistic information about student living costs across the country, have a look at Save the Students: Student Living Costs 2024. The results of their annual survey shows not just overall student expenditure, but variances by region, and even by university.
As ever, remember that the figures given are averages, and of course you may be more thrifty than most (or you might be a bigger spender).
Never-the-less, having a look at the data will help you choose a university with your eyes wide open as to the financial implications!
9. Prestige
Everyone seems to want to go to a prestigious university; one with a great reputation. But what does that even mean? And does it really matter?
Entrepreneur Paul Graham has this to say on prestige:
“Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. It causes you to work not on what you like, but what you'd like to like.”
In other words, to choose a university based on prestige is to choose one on the basis of other people's values, not your own.
So, while it could be argued that it’s worth considering reputation amongst employers, all the evidence that I’ve seen suggest your future success will have little to do with the prestige of your university and far more to do with what you do while at university; how you approach your studies and how you build the skills and experience that employers want to see.
10. Careers and graduate earnings
I will be the first to say that focusing purely on financial wealth is a terrible way to live your life.
True wealth is about far more than money; job satisfaction, work-life balance, time, health, community, and of course family, all have a far more significant impact on our actual happiness.
Never-the-less, it's not a bad idea to go into your studies with your eyes wide open about potential careers and earnings after your degree.
There are a few things that appear to be consistently true over time*: studying Medicine, Economics and Engineering/Technology are consistently good bets, while Art and Design and Agriculture are, well... not so much.
Subjects in the middle, with obvious career paths such as Nursing and Education are also pretty clear. They will lead directly to careers with decent earnings. Financially they are well worth the time and effort of study, but we all know that nurses and teachers are underpaid, and this is unlikely to change any time soon.
But for other subjects in the middle, such as business, computing, physics, history etc. the range of earnings has little to do with the subjects, and far more to do with the career that you choose afterwards, which in turn is all about the interests, skills and experiences that you gather at university.
So, my advice is this:
If you have a clear career or profession that you want to pursue, check out the graduate earnings, and if you still want to do it, crack on and make it your mission.
If you don't have a clear career ambition yet, don't choose a subject because you think it will be useful. Choose one because you are keen, interested and have the potential to really shine. Then make sure you throw yourself into campus life and get all the extra skills and experiences that the modern workplace is looking for**!
* see for example: The impact of undergraduate degrees on lifetime earnings (Institute of Fiscal Studies)
** see The world is changing. What does that mean for jobs and the skills you need?
