Choosing the Right University

You and your child will now be gathering information about your shortlisted Universities from several sources: University websites (well hello there!); University comparison websites; Social Network sites; Prospectuses; Open Days and so on.

Prospectuses

Still the fundamental tool for finding out comprehensive information about a University and its courses. You should order a Prospectus from every University on your shortlist. There may also be Alternative Prospectuses written by present or recent students and brochures about specific subjects. Increasingly you may also find the whole Prospectus online. Click on the Publications link to order your Aberystwyth Prospectus.

Open Days

On your shortlist, there will probably be at least three Universities with a star beside them: the ones your child really fancies – and, if you’re very lucky, one which you yourself think will be quite good. You and your child should visit Open Days at at least those three.

We’re very keen on Open Days at Aberystwyth, because so many people who come here fall in love with the place at first sight: and, even if not, they at least find out that you don’t need a passport and a three-day travel pass to get here. Check out our Parents' Guide to Open Days and the dates of Aberystwyth Open Days.

University Websites

More comprehensive than the Prospectus, University websites these days will include video and other media, which you may find helpful, and additional features...like, er,  a Parents’ Section, for example.

University Comparison Publications and Websites

The sites run by the major newspapers - Times, Guardian, Independent - are regarded as the most reliable. You can usually get their results in the newspaper version as well, but the websites will be available all year round, so they give you real flexibility. They don't come up with exactly the same results, so the best approach is probably to compare all three. Other University comparison websites should be used with care. Some use student input, some use published statistics, some use both. The more rounded the evidence, the better the site.

Social Network sites

Whether you - or we - approve of sites like Facebook and Twitter, today’s prospective students get a lot of their information and opinion from networks of existing students on these social networking sites. Actually, we rather like them at Aberystwyth: with our student satisfaction rates, we would, wouldn’t we?

After you have done your research, your child, with your help, has to come up with five Universities to which he or she will make an application.

The next (and scariest!) step in the Application Maze is  Making an Application