20 Sep 2018

Once the buzz of finishing school and having a tonne of free time finally fades away, it’s actually quite a nice feeling to start uni and begin the next chapter in your life. It’s a fresh start- away from the drama of high school and the stress of Year 12.

But, until we get to that point, we’ve got to deal with the mountain of pressure on us to pick the perfect uni.

There’s heaps of different factors to weigh up and it can get pretty overwhelming keeping track of all the places you could study.

For some reason, we’re expected to know everything and to not make a dumb decision when picking a uni. So, here’s a couple of things I wish I had heard when I was choosing where to study.

1. Preferences

I don’t know about you, but towards the end of Year 12, everyone at my school was freaking out about preferences.

There were questions about ATAR cut offs, second round offers and everything else that comes with making a decision about where to study.

The best (and most simple) bit of advice I’ve got for you is that your first preference should actually be your first choice on where and what you want to study. What a wild concept.

Sorting out your preferences earlier rather than later is a good idea- not only will you not have to stress about chopping and changing at the last minute, but you can always improvise, adapt and overcome if exams don’t go to plan and you need to reassess where your favourite uni is sitting.

Some places (like UC) even offer guaranteed entry as long as you meet their entry cut-off and chuck them as number one on your preferences so you don’t have to stress about missing out on your dream degree.

2. Location isn’t the end of the world

 Yeah, it’s convenient if you’ve got your uni down the road but don’t stress too much about studying locally.

Living on campus is severely underrated and it’s the perfect chance to get out of home and have a fresh start after high school. Don’t restrict your choices just because of location- suss out student residences and on- campus accommodation when deciding on a uni.

3. Friends aren’t going to magically appear

Unfortunately, the idea of meeting your best friend for life on the first day of uni isn’t always the reality.

Usually, people sit in tutes and lectures with people they like but no one is game enough to ask someone for a coffee or a drink outside the classroom.

This is why it’s super important to suss out whether a uni has sporting teams, clubs or societies that you’re interested in. Maybe they host hectic O-Week events or maybe the uni bar is the place to be if you’re looking to meet new people.

Whatever the uni has going for it socially, finding people who you click with is going to make your uni experience a million times more enjoyable, so make sure the uni you’re looking at is going to give you the chance to make some solid friendships. 

4. Use the resources you have access too 

When you’re in the middle of exams, thinking about uni can seem a bit overwhelming but you can take advantage of the resources that are there for you. Download choosing a uni guides, talk to your career’s advisor, dig deep into course outlines and read all the handbooks.

Take an hour out of your day and do a bit of research because it will definitely help in the long run.

5. Not all universities are created equal

Not all uni’s are the same. Some specialise in research, some have amazing work experience programs and others help you build solid connections in your industry.

That’s why it’s so important to figure out what your priorities are and pick a uni and degree that aligns with that.

UC’s choosing a uni guide will help with that, so head here to check it out and don’t stress too much–as much as picking a uni is a big decision it’s really not the end of the world.