Choosing The Right University

Some people don't get the choice; they get one offer and accept it. But if you're lucky enough to be able to choose, consider your options carefully - you'll be spending at least three years of your life there.

What's important to you may not be important to the next person - you may be particularly concerned about the quality and reputation of the university or the facilities it has to offer. Location will be important for others - is the university in a city or rural location? Is it near your friends and family? Is it an expensive place to live? Course availability is another factor for many and may well narrow down your options.

Though some UK universities are better known than others, both in the UK and overseas, the most important consideration is what is best for you. Be cautious about newspaper rankings of institutions; the information newspapers use is usually very selective and, as a result, only tells part of the story. Remember, there can never be a definitive 'best of' list, whether for universities, music or cars.

Bear in mind when you make your choice that graduate recruiters often target specific universities. Research carried out by The Guardian and Park identified that 65% of employers focus their graduate recruitment activity on particular universities. Reputation of the institution, reputation of the course, past experience and relationships were all given as reasons for employers targeting institutions. Cambridge, Manchester, Oxford, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Loughborough, Sheffield, Warwick, Bath, Imperial, UMIST, Nottingham, Cardiff, Southampton, Brunel, Durham and Exeter were some of the most popular universities listed. However, just because recruiters target specific universities doesn't mean they won't consider graduates from others and 35% of graduate recruiters don't target specific universities at all.

When visiting a university, ask about the types of organisations it works with. Also ask to see the employment statistics - each university will have statistics showing the number of graduates who get jobs within a specific period after leaving, usually six months. Comparing these will give you an idea of each university's success rate.

Weigh up what's most important to you and narrow down the options. You'll find that a visit will be the deciding factor; simply ask yourself: "Does this university feel right for me?"