Just as it’s important to choose a university where you’d be happy to study, it’s equally important to choose a course that you will enjoy.
For some people, choosing a course is easy – it’s simply their favourite subject from school. If you’ve grown up with a love of numbers and a high ability in maths, for example, then it stands to reason that you might choose to continue to study maths at degree level.
Others may have already decided upon a future career and so they choose their course accordingly. This is quite often the case with vocational courses such as medicine, engineering and dentistry, where there is a natural progression into a particular job.
Sometimes, though, it can be more difficult. It might be tough to decide on a course if, for instance, you’ve never studied it before. The range of undergraduate degree disciplines is far broader than A-Level offerings in schools and so many students begin courses in subjects such as Archaeology, Anthropology or Politics without having studied them before in school. If you find yourself in this position, be sure to read up thoroughly on what the course involves. It’s also a good idea to try to talk to someone who has gone on to study your desired course, to give you a first-hand account of what it involves.
Often, people are torn between subjects that they enjoy and subjects that they believe are more likely to get them a job in the future. Try not to let employment stereotypes deter you from a course that you really want to study; you will always perform better when focusing on something that you’re passionate about. Remember, you’ll be studying this subject for three years so you'll need to enjoy it!
Once you’ve decided upon a subject, it’s important to compare similar courses at different universities. University websites and prospectuses usually offer detailed information on what each of their courses involve. Pay attention to the modules on offer, the amount of contact time provided and the exam/coursework ratio. This is not to say that certain modules are better than others, or that coursework is better than exams, everyone has their own unique learning style and you need to choose a course that is well suited to you and you alone.
You might find that some courses are extremely similar. If this is the case, attend the open days and decide which university feels right for you. Have a read of our previous blog, Choosing a University, for more guidance on making that big decision!
We at INICIO have a lot of experience when it comes to helping A-Level students get on to the course of their dreams. If you'd like to find out more about our private tuition in Market Harborough, then email info@harboroughtutors.co.uk or call us on 01858 462648.