Choosing what university you go to is one of the most important decisions you will make. The time you spent in university is life changing – it’s a period during which you learn not only about the world through your course, but also about yourself, your preferences, your strengths and weaknesses. It is also a time when you make friendships for life and valuable professional and academic connections.
Finding the right university is a lot similar to finding the perfect environment to grow a plant in – some plants require darkness and little water, while others thrive in constant sunlight. No condition is inherently good or bad, you just need to know where you thrive.
One of the first things you want to know before you make any university-related choices is what kind of program you want to be in. Universities in Europe and the UK are genuinely stricter with their courses – once you enrol in a program, you might find it difficult to change your mind and pursue a different degree. This might be ideal for those of you that know exactly what you want to do and feel like you do not want to waste time doing other things.
For those of you who are not 100% sure of what you want to be when you grow up, you might find it most beneficial to pursue Liberal Arts in an American college, which will allow you to explore a variety of majors before you ultimately settle on one.
Another important aspect in your university choice will be geography. There might be a country you love and have always wanted to live in, which will shape where you want to attend university.
You might be very excited to explore places far away from home, desiring to move to the other side of the globe, or you might feel like you need to have a healthy, though not too great of a distance between university and home. This can also play a significant role in your university choice.
Preferences over cities, college towns, or more rural areas is also an incredibly important thing to consider, especially if your heart is set on attending one of the many colleges in the USA. If you feel like you thrive most in cities, then it might not make sense for you to go to school in an incredibly rural state or far away from the hustle and bustle of a city.
Conversely, if time in nature is a staple part of your week, you should gravitate towards colleges which are close to nature and allow you to easily pursue your hobbies. Weather is also something to consider – if you struggle to enjoy rain, prioritise universities in sunnier places!
Having a good idea of the range of subjects you want to study is super important as well. You might not need to know precisely what you want to study, but being able to narrow down the choices will help you with your university search.
The reason for this is simple, though not necessarily something you would think of first when you are applying to college – some universities do better in some subjects than in others. If you are interested in science, you do not want to go to a good ranking university that does not have a great science department (and vice versa)!
Knowing what area which university does well is super important because it can give you a good idea of the extent of different professional and academic opportunities you might get. If you already know what you want to study, doing research about what the universities faculties’ specialize in and research can be super useful for you to navigate your choice. It can also be a great talking point in your essay/motivation letter.
Navigating university search is an incredibly stressful time that requires you to be in touch with your needs and abilities. Sometimes the best thing you can do to help is to seek help.
