If you’re in the last years of your high school life, there’s no doubt you’ve thought about which university you should go to. Sometimes it seems like there are too many options and other times, it feels like there are no other options. Choosing a university is hard because you have to choose where you’ll spend the next stage of your life- without really knowing what it will be like.
If you’re having trouble deciding which course and which university is the best for you, here are some things to look into at prospective universities. We hope this will help you weigh up the pros and cons of each uni.
1. Degrees
The obvious place to start is narrowing down the universities based on the degree you want to do. If you don’t know what degree you want to do, well, that’s another question altogether! You might also want to consider other universities with similar degrees to add to your preference list. Something else you want to consider is degree cost, length, and structure. For instance, I’m doing Medical Imaging. This course has 2, 3 and 4-year-long varieties across Australia!
2. Location
Once you know where all the degrees are, you’ll probably start thinking about location. This can be divided into the city that the university is in, all the way down to what stores are nearby. There are other important factors to consider about your location like: will you have to move, is there accommodation nearby and is the cost of living high? Don’t immediately discount universities far away from you, this is a great time to go on an adventure!
3. Social life
Now to the more important part of university life: the social aspect. Every university has a different demographic and ideas on how to facilitate friendships. For instance, if you go to a very large university, it can be hard to make friends, just because of the huge class sizes. It’s, therefore, a little easier to make friends in a small cohort. You should also look into what clubs and societies each university have to offer because this is a great way to meet like-minded people.
4. Extracurricular
If you’re an athlete, performer or musician, you’ll want to also consider these aspects. If you’re wanting to continue investing in your sport or have opportunities to direct, perform and write, you’ll want to consider these parts of a university. Look into what kinds of creative and athletic opportunities your university will offer you, as this can be important if you choose to follow a career in these fields.
5. Cost
Now, most universities are public in Australia and so for local students, there’s no upfront cost to studying. However, there are a few private uni’s around the country that you will have to pay for. You should also consider your post grad (if you need to complete one) and if you’ll be spending a lot of money paying for that. Cost, however, should be the last thing on your mind.
Choosing a university is an important task that should not be taken lightly, however, the beauty of university is the ability to be flexible and change. You’ll no doubt discover whether or not where you’re at is right for you, and if it’s not, don’t worry! You can always transfer! Think about it carefully but know that you’re not locked-in forever.
We hope this post has given you a few ideas on what to consider.
Good luck with your selections everyone!
