Going off to university is something you can't really imagine - it's just completely different to anything you've done before.
The best analogy we've come across is to compare going to university to going on one of those ski trips with your school, or going on another random summer holiday camp. Yeah, you're nervous before you go, and on the way there, but once you've settled in (all of ten minutes after arriving) is fun and games all the way. Until you have to go home.
University is just like this. With the bonus that you don't have to go home after a week, there's no bossy adults telling you what to do, you're not stuck in a field, and you get proper toilets and kitchen facilities (just) - not to mention a bar.
Can you see now why people have a good time?
So it'll be great fun, right?
The important thing is to try not to have any preconceptions about what it's going to be like, and just take it as it comes. The first few weeks are going to be mad, but some of the best times of your life. There aren't many people who are disappointed...
As long as you get it right. Just remember that:
not all universities are the same and none are 'better' than any other, because it all depends on what you are looking for.
What do you want from your Uni?
It's important to compare what you want from a university to what's on offer there, because it varies from place to place.
What are you looking for in a university? The academic prestige? Great sports teams? Good job prospects? City or countryside location? Great bars and clubs? What?
Everyone at your A-Level college is different, and you all like/want different things. In the same way, all universities are different, and offer different things. The aim is to try to match what you want, with what the uni is offering you. Only this way are you going to enjoy it properly.
Most students are happy, but there's always a few that end up finding they don't like anything about the university - which isn't the way forward at all. Changing course and university isn't easy you know? So it's important to try and get it right the first time.
The point is, when we chose our firm acceptances, we didn't know much about the university, or the course.
I thought I did - I'd been there for interview, had a look round and thought it was good. But now I'm there? Well, let's just say it's nothing like I thought it would be.
I was just lucky..
Luck
You should always try to find out as much as you can about the place before you accept your offer, but there's always that element of luck in there somewhere. Plenty of people don't make the right choice, and then end up changing course, changing uni, or worst, just drop-out and sit on their arse all day.
The point of this website is to try and reduce the amount of luck you need in choosing your university. Actually, it's to try and help you find out more about a course and institution before you accept their offer, but it amounts to the same thing.
You can read the official prospectus, visit the website, look at the alternative prospectus, go on open days - but unless you really get deep into the nitty gritty of what it's like, you still don't know whether you'll enjoy it. You'll be up to your ears with stats: how many undergrads, female/male ratio, dropout figures and the such.
But does this really matter?
What you need to do is get in there with the students and find out what they think 1, 2 or 3 years down the line... or you can't be sure the course (and possible future career) is for you.
Why is it so difficult?
The main difficulty comes with the problem that universities compete for you. The more students go to a particular university, the more money that institution gets from the government. The more people pass the courses, the more money that institution gets from the government. Are you beginning to see the pattern here? Yes, the universities are probably after you because you're clever, but unfortunately it's mainly because you're worth a lot of money too.
Because of this competition, universities tend to 'exaggerate' their best parts, and normally endeavour to hide away anything their not so proud of.
All of which leaves you with a small problem.
How do you know what to believe?
Know the Facts
To try and help you through this difficult time, we've compiled several libraries worth of information into one website, with lots of links to other sites wherever possible. Of course, this is easy, and so to set us apart from the rest, we've provided a platform for any university student in the country to voice their opinions about their specific course and their specific university.
The aim is for this site to play a major role in helping you look at all the options after A-Levels (or equivalent) and also to be a vital part of the university application process. It also contains information on starting and settling at Uni, so you should look back at the site again just before you move away at the end of the summer too!
After a year or so, when you've really got a feel for your Uni and course, you yourself can come back and add your own opinions to the RealUni alternative prospectus.
Where to start
Your best starting point is the official prospectus. Yes, we did say it was biased, but it will contain loads of information about the courses you're interested in. Remember that just because 2 courses at different Uni's have the same name, it doesn't mean the content will be the same. Also remember that the name of the degree might not reflect the course content. For instance, Pete's degree is in "Chemical Engineering". Guess what? No chemistry, no spanners, just maths...
So, once you've got an idea about the actual content of the course and the University itself from the official prospectus, you might consider yourself interested. To get any further, you need to know more than just what's in the glossy prospectus... Find this out by:
1) Check out the RealUni Alternative Prospectus Listings (it's only a click away, so you might as well take a peek now). Try to get hold of the universities alternative prospectus as well, though they're not always available.
2) Go on an open day and talk to all the students who are there and actually doing the course.
Armed with this information, you can set about the UCAS form. First though, let's go through the rest of the RealUni site and check out what else there is to consider:
On to Which Course and Which University?.
Back to Home
Recommended Further Reading: The Push Guide to Choosing a University
Pro: A quality book - Probably the most comprehensive literature on this subject going, and also written by students, who are good at writing.
Con: It's not free like this.
Con: They're no longer publishing it.
Con: If it ain't in the library, your gonna find it difficult to get hold of.
