Choosing A University

Choosing a university can be a very daunting task and can seem to be a lot of work, but it doesn't have to be that way. Here’s my short guide of how to narrow down your uni choices and pick one that’s right for you.

• research 
• go on as many universities’ websites as you can, and note down and courses they do that slightly interest you. I personally put this info into a table, alongside other factors (whether or not you could do a year abroad, entry requirements, when the open days are, etc.). If a uni doesn't do a course you’re interested in; don’t go there. Don’t even bother going to the open day, which is something that I don't ever say lightly. 
• ask around 
• do you have older siblings who’ve been through uni? Older friends? Family friends? Ask your friends and family if they know people who’ve been through uni (especially doing the course(s) you’re interested in. People who’ve ‘been there’ and ‘done that’ are great sources of unbiased information that normally isn't on websites. From speaking to people, you get a sense of how you would be living yourself, straight from the horse’s mouth as it were (what a weird saying). 
• league tables 
• although you 100% shouldn't base your choices off of league table results, they do come in handy. For example, if you’re looking into an art subject, check the tables for it. The ‘best’ uni for art is not necessarily the best uni for biology or engineering. Doing this may highlight a uni that you weren't even considering. 
• open days 
• once you have your list/table compiled; it’s time for the open days. These are my absolute favourite part of uni choosing, as you get a real sense of what it’d be like to live and study at said establishment. Check my Guide to Uni Open Days for more prep advice and info, and a full list of many universities’ open days. Come prepared with questions to ask the lecturers/students, and don't forget to check out the accommodation and food stalls/student life areas. After being at the university and trying out the courses, you should be able to narrow down your choices massively. Keep a record of your experiences, as by the time you’ve been to your final open day, you’ll have forgotten the first one! You can rate them on aspects out of 10, or write pros and cons, or take photos, or just make notes. 
• compare 
• once you’ve been to all your favourite unis, look at all the courses you’d like to study. Which would be your favourite? Second favourite? Are these at the same uni, or different? Also, remember to take the entry requirements into account. If you’re not gonna get A*A*A at A Level, it’s probably not best to only apply for courses with those requirements. (Also remember to check for specific subject reqs, you may need to do A Level Law to do a Law degree, etc.) On the flip side, if you’re on track to get A*A*A at A Level, first of all congrats omg, teach me how please, and second don’t apply for only unis with reqs of BBB. It’s always good to have a ‘safeguarding’ uni with lower entry requirements, but don’t feel like you shouldn't aim high, because you always should! 
• keep lists 
• I am a big fan of lists and organisation in general, but this list is essential. Keep track of whether you’re put of or put on (?) by a course/uni, because if you forget then you’ll have to go through the process again and that’s just a massive waste of time. 
• have fun 
• choosing a uni can be daunting, but you can also have fun doing it! Display your data in your own way, make it easy for you personally to understand. Write, draw, make tables, do whatever works for you. And remember: choose a course, not a uni. I’d definitely rather do a subject I’ll enjoy at a lesser-known uni than do Maths (which I despise, sorry) at Oxbridge solely because of the name. Choose what’s right for you, not your friends, not your parents, not your teachers. 

Checklist
Have you considered:

• subjects 
• location 
• entry requirements 
• accommodation (location, size, catered/uncatered, etc) 
• student life (societies etc) 
• study abroad potential 
• finances 
• atmosphere 
• number of students/staff 
• campus vs city 
• surrounding area

2017 Guide to Uni Open Days

Hi guys! If you're currently looking into universities, you'l know that most open days are coming up in June/July. Most universities hold two open days in the summer, and another one or two in September, and booking is already open for most summer open days. I think that open days are the most important part of the decision-making process, so it's integral to be prepared before going. To book your open day place (plus any talks/tours you want to go on), go to the university website and find the open days page. I recommend going to about 6 open days to keep your options open, but there is absolutely no upper or lower limit, just do what's right for you. At the end of this post is a comprehensive list of all the Russell Group universities and some non-Russell Groups along with links to their Summer open day pages. Please note that open days are taking place in September/October and later on for nearly all of these unis, but I have not included these dates on the list.

What to do pre-open day
- do your research
Know the facts about the uni; know what subjects you'd be studying, know if it's an old/new building,  know the entry requirements (A Level results, GCSE results, and/or specific subjects at A Level or equivalent).
- book!
For most universities, you'll need to book your place (and your guests' places) for scheduled talks and tours. For some universities, you'll need to book to even enter the open day. Make sure to book ASAP, because places disappear quickly.
- transport
Decide how to get to the uni. Car, train, or park and ride are normally the best options, but make sure you know how and when you need to get there so you don't have to panic on the day. Also, make sure you're aware of how and where to park (by car) or if you need to make a booking (for park and ride).
- look around online and compare unis
University websites are generally very helpful, with almost all the essential information on them. Branch out, and check out unis that you may not be interested in going to. I personally prefer to see all the doors in front of me and close them one by one as opposed to just searching for the one right door, if you understand my analogy. Go to at least one campus uni and one off-campus city uni if you can, no matter whether you feel you've decided to be on or off campus. Who knows, you might change our mind.
- make a schedule
Allow time to get there, plus allow about 15/20 minutes to get to each talk/tour/college (more time if someone in your party has a mobility disability). Know exactly when you have to be exactly where, to save stress on the actual day. Remember to leave time for lunch!

What to take on the day
- laptop and/or paper and pens
Especially if you're attending talks, you may want to make notes so that when you come to decide on where to apply, you'll remember the good and bad points of each uni.
- your booking info
Talks and times, parking/park and ride information, and tickets to get in, plus any other documents you'll be requiring.
- a list of questions
After the talks, there'll usually be a time of Q&A with course leaders/current students, so make sure to make a list of anything you want to ask, and (even more importantly) make sure you listen to other people's questions and their answers, as you may want to know something but didn't think of it straight away.
- info about the uni
Do they do a year out? Is it a campus university? Do they even do the subject(s) you want? Do they do combined honours? These are questions that you could ask someone on the day, but are easily found out by a little bit of research that could end up saving both you and the people at the uni precious time. Write down the key points of each uni and take them on the day, for easy access to vital information.
- an open mind
Ugh, that was cringey. Sorry. Seriously though, if you go to a uni thinking that you'll hate it, then you will hate it. Come with a mind that is open to discovering hidden gems, or on the flip side, don't overlook the bad points of your favourite uni. You'll be spending at least 3 years there, so you don't want to make the decision on a misconception.
- the essentials
Money (food, possibly parking, gifts etc), phone, keys, parent(s) and/or guardian(s), directions (both to and within the uni) and/or google maps, etc.

Helpful Links (all open in a new window)
Open Days pages
Russell Group
Birmingham (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Bristol (Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June)
Cambridge (Thursday 6 and Friday 7 July)
Cardiff (Friday 7 July)
Durham (Monday 26 June and Saturday 1 July)
Edinburgh (Friday 9 June)
Exeter (Friday 2 and Saturday 3 June)
Glasgow (Thursday 15 June and Wednesday 30 August)
Imperial College London (Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June) (Taster Courses (Tuesday 11 and Tuesday 25 July))
King's College London (Guy's Campus Saturday 10 June and Saturday 8 July, Strand Campus Saturday 24 June)
Leeds (Saturday 17, Thursday 22, and Friday 23 June)
Liverpool (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
LSE (Thursday 6 July) (Taster Courses (Tuesday 13 June))
Manchester (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Newcastle (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Nottingham (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Oxford (Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 June)
Queen Mary University of London (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
Queen's University Belfast (none in Summer, closest is Thursday 7 September)
Sheffield (Wednesday 21 June and Saturday 8 July)
Southampton (Saturday 8 July)
University College London (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Warwick (Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June)
York (Friday 30 June and Sunday 2 July *RECENTLY CHANGED FROM SAT 1ST TO SUN 2ND*)
Non-Russell Group
St Andrews (none in Summer, closest is Wednesday 27 September)
Loughborough (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Bath (Thursday 15, and Friday 16 June)
Reading (Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June)
Surrey (Friday 30 June and Saturday 1 July)
Leicester (Friday 7 July)
Nottingham Trent (Tuesday 11 July)
Lancaster (Friday 14 and Saturday 15 July)
Royal Holloway (Wednesday 14 and Saturday 17 June)
SOAS (Wednesday 14 June)
Sussex (Saturday 24 June)
Kent (Medway Campus Saturday 17 June, Canterbury Campus Saturday 1 July

Other Helpful Links
Russell Group
UCAS

I hope this has been helpful, and please let me know if any of the links stop working! <3

Nostalgia Of School

Hi guys! On Friday, I visited my old secondary school to watch the Jazz Café (which was INSANE, as usual! [Shoutout to Beth, Ellie, Katie, Big Hair Joe, Toby, and David, as well as Simon+Veale+Clayton]) - a concert of old-school Jazz music as well as contemporary music played/sung in a Jazz style. When I went to the school, I was a part of the Jazz Café for 5 years, and this year’s was the first since year 7 that I didn’t perform in it. Watching the current students and seeing my old teachers again got me thinking about what life was like at secondary school, and who I used to be there. Therefore, today’s post will be a short (and hopefully sweet) little piece of my past.

What do I miss about school?

1. I miss only having 1 hour long lessons. (At college, they’re 1.5 hours each!) 
2. I miss my Music teacher and lessons. (<3 u Simon.)
3. I miss knowing who everyone in my year was. (210 pupils/year at school, over 3,000 students at my college.)
4. I miss performing in the concerts. (I don’t have the chance to at college; my timetable always clashes.)
5. I miss wearing a uniform. (Yes, really! It was so much less hassle to not think about what to wear every morning!)

But…

1. Having 1.5 hour long lessons gives me a chance to focus more and go into more detail with each subject. I actually find that by then end of the lesson I’m craving more knowledge, more detail, because I’m so immersed in said topic.
2. Because I no longer do such a range of subjects (used to do 12, now only do 4) I have more time to focus deeper on the subjects that interest me. There’s absolutely no way that anyone could do 5 A Levels in as much detail as you need, let alone 12! Although I still don’t have a solution for missing my Music teacher :(.
3. There are so many more people in college than school, which is great because that means there’s so many more potential friends! You can get to know such a range of diverse people from all around the area, broadening your knowledge and friendship group. Plus, there’s always at least one person on a free at the same time as you. Bonus. 
4. Even if I did have the chance to perform nowadays, I wouldn’t have the time. Revision and general life take up a lot of my personal timetable, not including the time already spent at college. In addition to the time-taking-up, the extra stress wouldn’t be good for me. Always see the good within the seemingly ‘bad’. 
5. Being able to wear my own clothes may be a time constraint, but it’s also a great way of expressing yourself and it’s another symbol of choosing your own path in life. Now that I’m older, I find it nicely symbolic that I have the opportunity to decide what I wear, because now I have to decide what I do, as well. AND; no more ties! I definitely don’t miss the peanutting of ties. 

Seeing the Jazz Café made me nostalgic and slightly sad, but it also made me think about how much I’ve grown and matured since school ended. And I’m extremely glad for that.

Choices: A University and Course(s)

Happy Wednesday!

Here's another instalment of TPYPF Choices series.

If you're in year 11, 12, or 13, you're probably thinking about what comes after college. Granted, university is by no means the only option available, but it's the one that I know most about, so that's what I'll be focussing on today. I'm currently looking into university myself, so I don't have as much knowledge on the actual life side of uni, but with regards to making plans, I'm pretty informed.

So, when begging in to look into further education, there's two routes you can go; courses by your favourite unis, or which unis do your favourite courses. Both are viable options, and I'm currently doing both. If you're interested, I'm looking into Theology/RS/Philosophy, and Drama. (so, very different subjects). The best ways I've found to narrow down my options is to only look at the Russel Group universities for the more academic subjects, and for specialised subjects like Drama, to simple google which are the best further education places for it. With Drama, you can go to uni, or a conservatoire, or a drama school, so it's little more complex than academic subjects.

If you're gonna go the subject choice then uni choice route, googling the top unis for your subject(s) is probably one of the best methods of narrowing down. Or if you're looking into a particular field, find successful people in that field and see where they went to uni. If you're heading for the other route, be prepared for some disappointments, because what seems to be the uni of your dreams may let you down when it comes to what courses are offered.

Other things to consider when looking into universities are:

• You don't have to only study one subject - you can do a 50/50 degree, or a 25/75 degree, or study one subject but do extra-curricular things in a totally different area - you needn't limit yourself
• Your country (whether that be England or not) isn't the only country! Although places like America and Canada are a lot more expensive when it come to tuition fees (especially for international students), they boast some of the best unis in the world, and have unique connections worldwide, in particular MIT, Yale, and CalTech - but remember, England's unis are pretty incredible too!
• Some further education providers don't work through UCAS, like conservatoires/drama schools/dance schools/non-UK unis/etc
• This is advantageous, because you can apply to more than just the 5 places allocated on your UCAS form
• This can be a bigger hassle, because you have potentially more rejection (let's not be pessimistic but still), and you have to spend more time applying directly
• Social life, including lodging - do you want to live on campus? what about catering? how many people do you want to share a bathroom/kitchen with?
• Where abouts you go - do you get homesick easily? Living closer to home might help if you need to come home for every holiday and give your parents a load of washing after each term

University Finder is a useful tool which can help you find universities which offer the course(s) you want and are aimed at your UCAS points range (which you can also calculate on the site).

UCAS also offer a similar service which is v v useful.

Good luck, and as always please feel free to contact me if you need any advice/help!

Choices: A College and Courses

Happy Wednesday! Here’s the second instalment of the Choosing series. This week we’ll be focusing in on choosing the right college for you, and making sure you do the right courses at said college. So, if you’re current year 11 or 10 and thinking about college, this is the post for you. As always, if anyone who’s already in college disagrees with me or knows I’ve given misinformation, please contact me and I’ll be happy to put it right!

So, the first step to finding the right college for you is to do your research. Choose 5 or 6 colleges that are relatively close by and acquire a prospectus from each of them - either from a careers day at your school, or by emailing/the website of the colleges. Go through each prospectus of courses and highlight the courses that sound a little interesting to you - create a list of options.

Once you have a relative idea of what you want to do, research more into each subject; if you know someone who’s done it or something similar then talk to them! Also, if you’re looking into a Humanities or a Science, I recommend checking out the posts on Another Ranting Reader and Not A Typical Teenager for advice and clearing up misconceptions. If you can’t find anyone who’s experienced the subjects you’re looking into, then don’t worry! Current students will be on hand at Open Evenings for precisely this purpose. (Also, if you’re looking into studying History/Film/Drama/Language then feel free to let me know, and I’ll help you out!)

On that note, make sure you attend Open Evenings! They’re a unique chance to see the college building, meet the teachers, and speak to current students who are in the exact same situation you will be in soon. Come prepared, with a list of queries or questions about the subjects/teachers/college life. And be confident - the students aren’t that scary!

After the Open Evenings, you should have a rough idea of what you want to do and where you want to go. I only applied to one college, but you can apply to as many as you want, if you’re looking to keep your options open. The application process is very simple: online form(s), interview, acceptance. Some colleges’ process may differ, but this is the standard. Again, if you’re feeling worried for any reason then feel free to contact me and I’ll do whatever I can to help.

Once you’ve been through the application process, all that’s left is to get your results. (Don’t worry about this either - worrying won’t make results better or worse, it’ll just cause you grief.

Some final tips:

Take into account which college your friends are going to, but don’t think about which courses they’re taking. The courses you choose to do matter so much more than which college you go to.

If none of your friends are going to the same college as you, don’t worry! Trust me, you’ll make so many new friends and a few weeks in you won’t have any inkling left of that worry.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions; to me, to former/current students, via email to the college, or if I don’t do any subjects you’re interested in, I’ll be more than happy to pass on your questions to my friends who do do the subject(s).

Finally, just don’t fret! I was so so terrified about starting college, but genuinely it’s so much better than school, and it’s not at al like I thought it’d be.


Tune in on Sunday for a summary of 7 reasons to believe in God, and next Wednesday for help on choosing a university and university course(s)!

A Day In The Life

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

As today is a very special day, I decided to post what would happen in my life on a very unspecial day. Therefore, here is a run-down of my typical day.

5:20 - Alarm number 1 goes off. I do not get up.
5:40 - Alarm number 2 goes off. I still do not get up. Instead, I fall back to sleep. (oops)
6:40 - My mum runs into my room and shouts at me for not being ready to go. My bus leaves in 23 minutes. I  glare out the window at the dark sky. Far too early to be awake. I get up, changed, makeuped, breakfasted, teeth brushed, and bag ready as I rush to do my snapchat streaks before I lose Wi-Fi. I get a lift to the bus station and an accompanying lecture on how I am late, again.
7:04 - I arrive at the bus station. The bus should have been here and gone again by now, although thankfully it is (as always) late.
7:07 - The bus arrives. I get on and sit down (top deck, back row, left corner) and greet my friends as they arrive on the bus. After about 5 minutes, I pick a victim from my friends and sleep. (on them).
8:05 - Arriving at college, I am groggily jarred awake, makeup half gone (sorry to the jacket of whomever I decided to sleep on) and hair astray.
8:10 - COFFEE AND 25p HASH BROWNS (yes I have already had breakfast, don't judge me).
8:45-12:00 - Lessons. Ew. Unless I have a free, in which case the time will be spent sleeping. Also probably more coffee.
12:00 - THE SWEET RELEASE OF LUNCH. AND COLLEGE WEDGES.
12:45-16:00 - See 8:45-12:00.
16:00 - Bus again, new friend to sleep on, sweet sweet sleep.
17:00 - Bus arrives at my bus stop once again. A lovely cold walk in the dark!
17:30 - HOME. HOME. SWEET, SWEET HOME.
17:30-21:00 - Honestly who knows. I don't even know what I do in this time. Sick memes? Wish my life away? Waste time on social media? All of the above I reckon.
21:00 - The late panicky realisation of the sheer volume of homework I have due for tomorrow. I still don't do any of it.
22:30 - I realise I probably should do that homework, after all. I cry. WHY is French grammar so hard?!?!?!?!
00:30- That French homework is FINALLY over, and I resolve that from now on I shall do all other homework I get the day that I get it. I don't, but the thought is always there. I vow to do the other million pieces of homework I have for tomorrow on the bus in the morning. I won't do that either, but oh well. Sorry to all my teachers (and my parents, guess I won't be getting good grades again, goodbye Oxbridge!).
00:31 - The sweet, sweet release of temporary unconsciousness.

AND repeat.

I Am... A College Student

Happy November! A new month marks a new Wednesday series, and this month's is entitled 'I Am...'. Here's the first post of this series: I Am A College Student. Enjoy!

In September this year, I started at sixth from college. From the secondary school I came from, nearly all of my close friends joined me at college, with only a few of them going to different colleges. I'm pretty sure that had this not been the case, I'd have found the transfer a heck of a lot more difficult. Although my friend group has changed hugely since starting sixth form, the first few days were made a lot less lonely by knowing people from secondary school. If you're worried about starting secondary school or college or even university, please don't be! At the beginning, everyone's in the same situation - nervous about knowing no one! It's very easy to make friends, even if you are a little socially awkward (like me, I admit).

With regards to workload, this transfer is also rather hard, but it's just something you have to embrace and work with. In my experience, you get more homework, the lessons are longer (and therefore far more tiring), and the work itself is more thorough and detailed. However, you have free periods during the day which are perfect for homework, meaning that if you're lucky, you won't actually have to do any homework! Longer lessons may seem like a drag to begin with, but you'll soon adapt to a new schedule and will realise you need more time to go through everything thoroughly. The work is more detailed, but you'll learn so much more than at GCSE level, so it's worth it!

But college isn't just work. You'll make new friends, get closer to old friends, and grow as a person yourself because of them. Personally, I adore my new friend group, just as I continue to adore my old friend group, even if I don't see them as often anymore. Their absence may seem sad, but in reality it's not sad; it's life. You'll always have opportunities to change and develop your personality and values, and I think that you should always take them. I started college with a circle of my friends from secondary school and now, not even two months in, I've got to know their new friends, and their friends' friends, and their friends' friends' friends and... 

Another part of college, more so in the second year but it's always good to be prepared, is choosing universities. If you were brought up like me, you'll have been taught that the only acceptable path is school, college, uni, job. That's not actually correct. If you don't want to go to uni, or you don't think enrolling will benefit you, then by no means do you have to go. But even if you don't think uni will be for you, research a few, you may be pleasantly surprised! And remember, not all universities are in your home country - you have the chance to travel!

A couple of months ago, I attended the Fulbright USA College Fair in London. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Essentially, it was a chance to meet representatives from hundreds of American universities, and discuss your future options with them. It's so refreshing to speak to someone in person nowadays, as opposed to a cold, impersonal email conversation. If you ever get the chance to attend a seminar or fair or a similar kind, I urge you to go. Even if you don't think you're going to study abroad, you might as well be positive that you don't want to, or have your mind changed. I'm still not too sure what country I want to study in, but the Fulbright fair really opened my eyes to the options I have, and clearly spelled out what I should be doing currently to get myself where I want to go. 

In summary, being a college student is tough. It's long days (hello leaving at 6:30am and getting home at 5:30pm), hard work, and non-stop consolidation learning. But it's also meeting new people, experiencing different cultures, and attaining more independence than you've had before. 

It's new. It's different. But that 100% doesn't mean it's bad.

Don't be scared about change. Change allowed us to evolve into sentient beings (with opposable thumbs!), and change will allow you to flourish. Embrace it.