Hi, I am a third (final) year student and here are 8 things I think everyone should consider when applying to university... 1. Location You need to like the location of the university not just the university itself as you will be living there for at least 3 years so make sure to check it out (in person preferably), before applying! 2. Transport Think about how you are going to get back and forth between home and uni? - car, train, bus?, Think about how you are going to commute from your accommodation to university every day - car? bus? walking?, Think about how you are going to get around the city/town whilst you are at university - walk? bus? car? 3. Course Does the course at that university cover modules you are interested in? Are modules optional, all core or a mixture of both? Do you like the teaching style offered on that course? Do you like the assessment style on that course - all coursework, no coursework only exams, both? These are very much personal preference, so find what suits you best! 4. Hobbies Does the university and area offer spaces for you to do your hobbies or start new ones that you are interested in? Do you like the sports/societies offered by that university? Does the university/area have the right facilities for you e.g. football pitches, climbing walls or rivers (kayaking, canoeing)? 5. Location (part 2) Does the location of the university offer you the experiences you wish to have/try when you move away from home - is there a particular culture/religion you would like to surround yourself with? Do you the choice of certain activities to try or different places to eat? etc. 6. Second year accommodation What are the options for second year accommodation - is it offered by the university, is the private accomodation close to your lectures? What types of private accommodations are there - houses, flatshares, studios?, Is there lots of second year accommodation available? Is it affordable? 7. Cost of living Can you afford to live there - food, housing, bills, extra-curriculars? - Each area differs in the country, some cheaper ... others not. Whilst student finance tries to reflect this, it is not always proportional... so it is important to consider when applying! And last but not least ... 8. Safety This is very much individualistic! Of course certain areas are statistically safer than others for certain aspects of life.... However... the most important thing is... Do you feel safe? Whether it be walking to your lectures, to the shops, around the city centre, on your own? We all have our own perceptions of safety regardless of what statistics tell us - so it is important that YOU feel safe ... again another good reason to visit universities in person and have an noisy around the area, accommodation and town/city centre whilst you are visiting! I hope this has been helpful! Good luck with your applications ... my number 1 tip... choose something you enjoy not what you feel you should do... you'll be studying it for three years after all!!! :)