• Question: how did you choose where you wanted to study?

    Asked by anon-251103 to Martin on 3 Apr 2020.
    • Photo: Martin Coath

      Martin Coath answered on 3 Apr 2020:

      An excellent question, and loads of things to take in to account. It is a very personal choice. Just a quick 3 point checklist: Content, Ranking, Location

      In general you have to look *very* closely at the course being offered to see if it is a good match for you. University courses vary a lot in content and character even if they have similar names.

      (For example, I did chemistry as an undergraduate and I did three units on biological chemistry. Notice that this is not “Biochemistry” which was never really my thing. These days what I did might be called ‘Natural Product Chemistry’ maybe.)

      Universities are ranked, and it is worth having a quick look at the rankings maybe. But academics are more interested departments or individual research labs. So a middle-ranking university could easily be the best place in the world to study your particular subject.

      Lastly, you are going to be living there for most of three/four years so the location is important. You have to come up with priorities of your own. Near home? Near the sea? In a busy exciting city? In a rural campus? UK or abroad?

      What do you think your priorities will be?

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