This is a concept that many people seem to miss.

Many students these days base their decision about which university to attend on factors such as how close to home it is, or what the ratio of male to female students is. As I’m sure you can appreciate, whilst these statistics can be of use, they should not be the primary tools used to make such a decision.

Indeed, I would propose that there are four key factors you should consider when making a decision about which university is best for you.

1) Do They Teach Your Subject?

The days of straight biology degrees or maths degrees are coming to an end. Now you can study more than one subject if you like. Or you can specialize. What if you loved horses but found other animals a bit dull? Surely in that case it would make sense to find a university that teaches equestrian studies rather than just general biology? Or what if you wanted ot be a vet nurse? Then surely it would make sense to study a specific vocational vet nursing qualification rather than a general biology degree.

So take the time to really focus on what your end goal is. What job would you like to land when you leave? Then work backwards to find out which qualification would be most suitable for you and find the universities that do that specific one. Not only will you leanr far more about your specialist subject on a course like this but you will also meet far more people with similar interests and passions as you which will serve you well on the social side.

2) Reputation

Different universities have different reputations - some for teaching, some for research, some for job prospects and so on. Furthermore, some universities have a very good reputation on one or more specific fields - such as medicine or sports science. Having a degree from a university that is known for being “good” at your chosen subject will also be of great assistance when it comes ot finding a job after your studies.

So consider reading books, subscribing to magazines and speaking to experts. Find people who already have the job you would like online and ask them which universities are best for that subject, what they studued, what they would have done differently etc. This is some of the most useful career advice you’ll ever get.

3) Facilities

Next consider the facilities that will be available to you as a student. We’re talking things like looking into the libary. How big is it? Is there more than one? Is there one that specializes in your topic or are you going to struggle to find books on your chosen topic? Does the libary have plenty of work areas? What are it’s opening hours? Can you access the Internet from there?

Besides studying, also consider sporting facilities, whether there are places to buy food and so on close by.

4) Location

Are you the kind of person who likes to be near the country or city? Going for the wrong location could greatly affect your studying and your end results. It could also prevent you from doing your hobbies.

But there’s more to location than that. Are you a driver? If so, are there plenty of places to park? If not, how will you get home during holiday times? And how far will you have to travel?