CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY Choosing where and what to study can be a daunting step – both for young people and their parents. You can scour prospectuses, course listings
on university websites and league tables. But there’s no better way to get a feel for where
your child will be studying and how much they will like it than to accompany them to an open day. Visit as many places as possible before filling in
the application form. Open Days are a golden opportunity to ask questions about a course,
chat to staff, current students and other parents. If you have time, look around the local area as well. Some universities are in the heart of city life and others are more campus-based. It’s about where your child will feel most at home. If they prefer to stay local to study, is the university geared up to supporting commuting students? What about access to parking permits or bus routes? It’s also important to see where your money goes. Tuition fees cover far more than just lectures and library books. Does the university provide personal tutors? What are the facilities like? And if they want to live on campus, will they be guaranteed a room in halls in their first year?
