To go or not to go, that is the question
Although it may seem a simple question at first glance, deciding whether or not to go to university is in fact a very involved process. If you are thinking about university, you'll need to do a lot of research and make sure it is the right choice for you. You'll need to think about all sorts of things like which subject you want to study, what type of course you want to take, whether or not to live close or far from home and what is the best fit for you.
What's your motivation?
There are lots of different reasons why people go to university - think about yours. Once you know what you'd like to get out of going to university, it's easier to narrow down your options. Some reasons you might choose to go to university include:
- gaining a good qualification
- learning more about a subject you're interested in
- it's required for the career you want
- gaining work experience (for example through a sandwich course)
- meeting new people
- living away from home
- being independent
- exploring new activities
- having a good social life
- experiencing a new challenge.
Why go to university?
Going to university is not just about getting a good education, but developing skills that you'll use throughout life both at work and socially.
Some courses train you for a specific career (eg medicine), and some give skills for particular environments (eg business, or computing), whereas others are 'non-vocational' and develop flexible skills that can be used in almost any career. So think about what you'd like to do when you leave university - this might help you decide what to study.
It's normal to think about finances when choosing a course and university. Although it can be expensive, most undergraduates feel that they are investing in their future career.
Every university or college offers something different, so don't assume studying the same subject at one university will be the same at others. Really look at what each course entails, including work experience, course options, subject specifications, study abroad options, how its taught and the tutor's area of subject expertise.
So think about the changes that you'll experience when you go to university, and see which you're comfortable with, and which you need to think more about, such as:
- change of learning approach
- change of subject
- change of identity
- change of perspective
- change of family role
- change of friends/peer group
- change of status
- change of location
- change to independent living.
Where can I find out more?
Find out more about choosing courses and get further hints and tips (this link will take you to our UCAStv website).
Follow our six UCAS bloggers at ucasconnect.com and find out how they chose their courses.