As the higher education sector faces mounting pressures to provide value for money, it's now often assumed that universities will provide its students with much more than just a degree. Most prospectuses（宣传册）introduction present institutions as being the "leaders" in academic research, student satisfaction, graduate employability and contact hours.
Visiting a university "in the flesh" on the open day is the only way you can truly get a feel for the place, and ensures you won't get any unpleasant surprises when you start your course. Remember that there is no such thing as the best university – only the best fit for you.
Before your visit, conduct some online research and decide on a few universities you'd like to visit. Plan your day, booking any relevant sessions, and noting down any talks you would like to attend. Prepare a list of questions about all the aspects of university life.
During your visit, you need to make plenty of notes! You'll start to forget important things unless you put them down. Note which accommodation you like as well as how much it costs and where it is located. Bear in mind that you might not get your first choice of accommodation, so have a few others in mind as a back-up.
Go along to application sessions and you can get the answers there. You could even show the admissions tutor a draft of your personal statement and ask for some direct feedback. Ask the experts – not only the admissions team and course tutors, but also the current students. While it might be tempting to let mum and dad take over, it's you who will be going to university, not them, so don't be afraid to speak up!
Write down what you like about the university and compare it to others. Remember to make sure you prioritise your course over the university. If you don't enjoy your course, then chances are you will fail to maximise your potential. It's your choice, so make the best of it!
A. Avoid being misled by claims and statistics.
B. It doesn't matter how famous the university is.
C. It is important to find out the selection criteria.
D. With so many choices, how can you make an informed decision?
E. Faced with all the information, what you need to do is to get the most out of it.
F. The conversations and experiences you've had will mix together after a few visits.
G. Determine your own criteria –especially if you're unsure about which subjects to study.
