By Lia Lee, Dual B.A. Student at the University of British Columbia and Sciences Po Paris
Five years of secondary education, two years of building your curriculum vitae, and countless months of filling out application forms, preparing for interviews, and consultations – you’ve made it. Universities have made their decision and now it’s your turn to decide. But no one told you what to do once the decision is in your hands.
The university application process is arduous and tedious; however, as everyone focuses on being accepted to schools, the final step – selecting an offer among the universities that have accepted you – often becomes overlooked.
Here are a few tips when deciding which university is the best fit for you:
1. Evaluate your program options and deliberate which offers you the opportunity to foster your passion. If you applied for different programs at each institution, think about which specific program is fit for you. Would you still prefer studying computer science at your top university choice, or are you more passionate about studying business, despite it being at your alternative university option? If you applied to specialized programs, contemplate whether you’d prefer delving directly into a specialization, or if you would rather explore a broader range of subjects for your first years to explore your interests. Programs also tend to offer department-specific opportunities that are worth considering – do you want to apply to your faculty’s Co-Op Program or pursue a dual degree in a different department? Do you envision yourself applying to selective programs in your upper years that are only offered in a specific department, albeit it may not be your top choice?
2. Reflect on your future career aspirations to gauge which university option can lead you to your prospective goals. Some universities will have stronger alumni networks for specific departments for which the university is most renown. Even if you don’t know what you’d like to pursue following your undergraduate studies (which is completely normal), think about whether you’d like to have the option of pursuing post-graduate studies. Does a university program guarantee you a spot in their Masters program if you complete their undergraduate studies? It’s also worthwhile to consider the grade distribution for a typical course among the different universities – if you plan on pursuing post-graduate studies such as Medical or Law school, research into how evaluations are weighted and grade distributions among cohorts – do final exams have greater weight at one university versus the other? Do you perform well in traditional examination settings? Or do you prefer the university program that puts greater weight on presentations and summative assessments for evaluations? Is that university reputed for grade deflation? Although these factors should not necessarily play decisive factors, it is worth considering when deciding which school is best suited for your aptitudes and aspirations.
3. Connect with current and/or past students at your university options – they can be your greatest resource! Specific information such as alumni networks, assessment methods, and grade distributions are more challenging to find through researching online. Join Facebook groups and reach out to current/past students to learn more about these factors, student life, and the general “day in the life” of an average student at their university.
4. Consider the student life and culture on campus. What is the atmosphere like? Do you thrive in urban environments or exposure to nature? Can you cook? Do you need to be in a city where eating out is more accessible for students or are you able to manage cooking for yourself? What kind of social atmosphere do you want to be a part of? Living environment is often underestimated when deciding which university offer is the best one for you, but it has a drastic effect on your mental health and consequently, capacity to thrive at university. Reflect on your lifestyle habits rather than falling in the trap of fantasizing your ideal environment. Don’t study in a foreign country or move to a busy city due to the romanticized illusions fostered by mainstream media. Objectively consider your lifestyle habits to understand which environment is the best fit for you.
5. Calculate costs to evaluate if your university options are financially feasible for you, or worth the cost. Calculate the costs of tuition, living expenses, residence fees, and additional materials (ie. textbooks) and compare between your university options. Some other factors to consider are whether the university has a mandatory meal-plan or residence fee, student fees, or travel costs for flights between your school and home. Will you be living in dorms or an unfurnished apartment? Do you plan on living with roommates or alone? If university options are abroad, consider the currency rate that can alter your tuition fee and the adjusted living costs in the foreign country.
These are some of the key factors to consider, but put greater weight on the factors that matter to you for your university experience. Make a pros and cons list for each university to get a holistic look of your options. What do you value and what do you want to gain from your university experience?
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