Belonging at university, excellent careers resources, and the university that left me torn.
😊 Welcome
This week we look at the importance of finding a sense of belonging at university. You might think it’s all about gut instinct; that feeling you get when you visit, that tells you whether you can see yourself being a student there. It turns out there is a way more to it, and there are important questions you should ask a university to see whether they are playing their part in helping you belong.
We revisit an article all about UCAS Extra, which opened just last week.
We discover a couple of really helpful careers platforms who are using community and networking to help early career searchers.
And we look at one of the world's most prestigious universities - while I do my best to be objective.
✍️ Finding a sense of belonging at university
We all know how important it is to have a sense of belonging; in our family, amongst our friends, and of course, when choosing a university.
Why?
Because belonging affects everything at university; how much you enjoy the course, how good your mental health is, how well you do in exams, even whether you pass or fail.
So how do you know whether you’ll feel that sense of belonging when you are choosing a university?
Well, you could just trust your instinct when you visit. And you know… your instinct is probably pretty good. But belonging isn’t something that just happens by chance. Belonging amongst students is something that has to be nurtured and supported by the university, and research* shows that there are certain things that universities should be doing if they are serious about nurturing a sense of belonging amongst their students.
So as you visit universities, and as you choose which universities to apply to and which offers to accept, you might want to check whether the departments and universities you are considering are taking this seriously and are actually doing the important work to foster that belonging!
🗄️ From the Vault: UCAS Extra and UCA Clearing
UCAS Extra opened just last week, and is an excellent fall back for students who find themselves without an offer of a place, or who have a change of heart over their choices. The same can be said of UCAS Clearing, which follows in July.
This article takes you through the who, how and when of both, so you know exactly how it all works!
💡 Did you know?
I know I am supposed to be writing about university choices, but you can't take university decisions in isolation from future careers, and bluntly it is never too early to start exploring potential careers.
So... a couple of really good early career resources that you might not have discovered yet: Pollen Careers and Bright Network.
Both have recognised just what a tough time young people are having in securing the first steps on their careers and both are trying to do something about it, through community and partnering with employers.
They also both have a fantastic set of resources covering different career areas.
📸 Snapshot: Imperial College London
Became a university in: 2007 (I know! Weird huh? Of course it’s actually much older!)
Student population: 22,255 (2022/23)
Location: South Kensington and White City, London
Subject areas: Engineering, Science, Medicine and Business
Admissions: Super competitive. AAA to A*A*A, with many departments requiring admissions tests and/or interviews. And beware, students may get offers well above the published grades, as admissions tutors like to stretch their applicants if they can!
I’ve been writing these snapshots for a while now, and it's got to the point where I really can’t put Imperial off any longer. Imperial, you see, was my last full-time role at a university; I was Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach there a decade ago. It should be really easy to write this, but it’s not, as my time there was difficult and short lived.
So as ever, you’ll get a bit of a personal perspective, along with my best attempt at objectivity.
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading!
Jonathan
🎯 In case you missed it
Ten things you should know about the new UCAS Personal Statement for 2026
