h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I did reply to this yesterday, but obviously my computer ate it ...

I just wanted to add a bit about visiting/open days. I go to King Alfred's College in Winchester, and I do guided tours at open days (and also show round ramdom people at other times too (it's a fab way to earn a fiver an hour - I get paid to wander round gibbering at people!) And there are some bits of advice I always give them.

Make sure you look at the place it's self as well as the course - go look round the town and make sure you like the atmosphere, as you're choosing somewhere to live for 3 (at least) years.

Also, if there's a particular activity that you simply can't live without doing, then make sure it's avaliable - although you will get some support from the SU in setting up a new society, it's can be a pain trying to find enough people to join.

I also recommend people to visit the place they're most interested in more than once (if possible - obviously if they've travelled from gibraltar or somewhere then it's not going to be), or try to speak to more than one student about the college. That way you get a more varied view, and are likely to hear a more varied list of pros and cons of being there.

and lastly - ask loads of questions! What the nightlife is like - how secure the accommodation is - how good the busses are - how easy it is to get part time jobs.

yoohoo *waves from down the road at soton uni*

*very* good advice...just thought I'd add another suggestion. If you have the cash it's well worth contacting the university accommadation dept and arranging to stay over in halls for the night - this way you get the feel of the place and you have plenty of time to look around the area/town/uni/dept without trying to cram everything into one day.

Most halls have guest rooms which charge around £20 a night B&B and staying over means you can see what the area is like in the evening

Also try not to be swayed by your mood/interview performance. I had a fantastic interview at a uni I though I would love, turned out to be the ideal place to visit for the day but a horribly chlaustraphobic place to live for more than a month.

that's a good idea, didn't think of that one...

I did sort of similar thing at the University of Brighton in Eastbourne ... went to live there, then decided that I didn't like the course, or the people (well... not that I ~didn't like them~ as such, not in a nasty way or anything, just no-one I had anything in common with). The town was nice, but I was bored silly, and had no reason to stay.

So I didn't!

That's another good point:

if you discover you've made the wrong decision don't be afraid to leave, or swap courses - most uni's are fine about you switching courses within the first month or so (and if you're only switching to something similar then you can usualy switch over any time within the first year). But there's no point staying if you're not happy. Not to say that you should go home at the first hint of homesickness. But if you've stuck it out for 6 months or so, and you know you're doing the wrong thing then go. *nods* ...

Or does anyone disagree with that?

Obviously speak to parents/tutors/careers types first, but at the end of the day, if you're not happy where you are there's no point wasting your time.

Funding wise you can change course *and* uni any time within the first 12 months of a course (it was 18 months back when I did it) without affecting your funding - ie you will still be entitled to any reduction in fees or extra student loans and the LEA will still pay for the extra year if you start again - so long as you get written confirmation from both uni's that the transfer/course change is due to academic reasons (even if it isn't).

It's very easy to choose the wrong university...it's very difficult to know what qualities in a university are right for you - my first uni was a campus based uni which I thought would be friendly instead it was too small and dull. I chose my second uni based on it being near to where my boyfriend lived, reasoning that even if it was awful I would have a bolthole if I needed one (I didn't visit the place at all), luckily it was great - I liked it so much I now work there and consider the city home (even though I live 30 miles away)