A Quick Guide to Choose the Best University

Not sure which university to apply to? Here’s a quick guide on choosing the right university. Visit Eximus Education to get high-quality career counselling at affordable rates.

After finishing high school, choosing the right university is the most crucial decision for every student.

While most students have sorted their career paths and know precisely what university they want to attend, some still struggle to figure out their aspirations. Finding the right university that fits your career goals can be tricky as there are many factors to consider.

The decision-making process can be tiring, overwhelming, and time-consuming. However, if you are one of the many people grappling with finding their dream university, don’t throw in the towel just yet.

We have made a quick guide to help you find a university that can be your alma mater. So, read on if you want to hand-pick the university cut above the rest.

First Things First

When you are picking a university, you must take into account a few crucial points such as:

• Which campus location is the best?
• What facilities are you expecting at the university?
• What is the teaching method of the university?

So, before starting your university hunt, we advise you to jot down a list of essential points based on the abovementioned factors. Making a checklist of your expectation and needs will make your decision-making process less tedious and save time.

Campus vs City University  

The campus location significantly impacts your learning experience and student life. When deciding on a university, you must know that there are two types of university campuses you get to choose from. These include—

1. City university
2. Campus university

Campus universities are situated outside the city boundaries, with their campuses close to one another. On the other hand, a city university has consolidated buildings or campuses spread out within a city or town.

While choosing to study at the campus gives you more safety, more accessible access to amenities, and a sense of belonging, looking at a city university comes with perks such as:

• More exposure to the city’s zestful nightlife
• Better transportation facilities
• Access to a plethora of job opportunities
• An opportunity to explore diverse cultures in the society

While both universities have their pluses, you need to decide what you are looking for in terms of convenience and lifestyle choice.

Group of college or university students hanging out. Happy teen girls and guys standing together, holding books, backpacks. Vector illustration for studying, school friends, fashion, youth concept
Group of college or university students hanging out. Happy teen girls and guys standing together, holding books, backpacks. Vector illustration for studying, school friends, fashion, youth concept

Is the University Small or Large?

A university can have fewer than 5000 and more than 15000 students, depending on its size. Here are some benefits of choosing either.

Small University

The class size is small, so taking notes during lectures, understanding concepts, and getting one-on-one attention from professors is easier. Small group discussions allow students to develop critical thinking skills. Moreover, you also get to meet new people and feel less homesick as you create a stronger sense of community.

Large University

Studying at a large university has its advantages. Firstly, it offers a more extensive campus which means more extracurricular activities and meeting people from across the globe. Moreover, you also get to choose from many majors and study with diverse professors. Cafeteria, a massive library, playground, and sometimes even a gym and swimming pool—more prominent universities offer all these facilities. 

Student-to-Staff Ratio

It doesn’t matter if you pick a big or small university; you need to consider the student-to-staff ratio while making a decision. If the number of students per teacher is more significant, the lower the chances of getting individual attention, academic support, and guidance will be lower.

World Ranking

When choosing a university, you need to look into its world ranking and where the subject faculty selected stands in the global education market. High-ranking universities offer a high-quality learning experience in terms of teaching facilities, and exposure, leading to more employment opportunities after graduating.

Distance and Accessibility

Feeling homesick is quite common among native as well as international students. So, when choosing a university, it is essential to consider how far away it is from home and how much time it will take to travel there. If you get homesick quickly, it is better to choose a university in the same state, country, or continent so that you can visit home when needed.

However, if the university campus is farther, make sure you figure out the available commute options before making the final decision. Doing this will save your time, energy, and money.

Living Options

If you are considering picking a university in a different state, country, or continent, you need to decide where you will live—on the campus or someplace nearby.

While living on campus will help you save money and time, other housing options will allow you to explore more and have an enticing experience as a student. However, doing the latter will need you to have an extra budget for transportation.

Calculating the cost of living while deciding on a university is essential as it gives you an idea of the monthly budget you will need. You can visit the university’s website to look into the average cost of living to see if you can easily cope with it or need to apply for financial assistance.

Some Extra Tips

Once you have narrowed down options by using the points above, you can follow the tips below to choose the best university for yourself.

Every university hosts an open day for prospective students to give them an insight into what they have to offer. Keep an eye out for the upcoming open day of the university you are interested in and visit promptly to explore the campus, faculty department, and meet the professors. If you are an international student, you can attend the open day virtually to gain insight into the prospective university.

Apart from attending the open day, you can also talk to former students of the respective university on different social media platforms to get valuable insight into their university experience. Doing this will enable you to dig deeper into the quality of accommodation, academics, administration, and facilities offered by the university.

Hang in There!

Selecting the right university can be a tedious process. However, once you choose, try your best to make the most out of the overall experience. If you are still unsure about which university to choose, then feel free to sign up for a career counselling session with Eximus Education and end your hunt positively. Good luck!