Top tips

Top tips

Getting started

• Visit the UCAS website for a full list of the UK university courses available together with lots of helpful advice. UCAS offers the Stamford Test for students who want to discover which subjects might suit them best.
• You can gain access to all of the UK university websites via the UCAS website, which gives detailed information about the subjects and courses on offer along with how each university can support your child during their studies and life away from home.
• Order a prospectus from several universities to compare the courses available. The prospectuses will also show you the differences in campus styles, size of the institutions, teaching methods and locations etc.
• Talk to as many people as your can. Friends, family, teachers, careers advisers, current students, university lecturers and employers can all provide useful insights into different options. Remember though, at the end of the day, it is your child's future and their decision!
• Think about what they are good at and what they enjoy. It's important to recognise that their studies at university will be in depth, so they need to be sure that they will be sufficiently motivated for the duration of the course. It is also important that they enjoy it.
• Consider courses that they may not have studied at school or college. For example, some law, business and education courses do not require previous subject knowledge.
• Think about what they might like to do after university. Do they know what job or career they would like to do and does this require a vocational qualification or a specific degree?
• Consider choosing a course which is more flexible and doesn't limit their employment options, if they are not sure about their future career.

Open days

• Many universities offer a variety of open days, visits, taster courses and summer schools designed to give the student a better idea of what it would be like to study at that institution. Open days welcome students, parents and advisers to find out more, get a feel for a place. They often run talks and sessions specifically with parents in mind. We encourage students to visit us and not base their decision solely on information gained via the web or a prospectus.
• Many parents attend open days with their son or daughter (so you will not be alone). Encourage them to make notes on each place in order to remember the differences. It might even be worth taking the odd photo. Also encourage them to ask questions, especially of the academics. You can ask follow-on questions, if you think they have forgotten something. However, it is important to let them do the talking.