My Experience in Applying For University

• 14 Aug, '22
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Applying to university isn’t an easy feat, after all, how do you choose between universities you’ve never seen before, and accommodation you won’t step foot in until your move in date? Having had the foundation of my A-Levels taken away from me by Coronavirus, I often struggled to find my footing. Over the last few years there has been uncertainty around examinations, the all-important gateway to university, and in turn, gateway to my future. I knew that it wasn’t going to be the same; online open days replaced car journeys with mum and dad, my course information came through the post-box rather than the hands of a student ambassador, and I spent hours deciding on accommodation that I wasn’t certain I’d be living in come this September. However, regardless of how I felt, I knew the application process would be the same. I was one of 311,000 UK 18-year-olds applying, with many, like myself, aiming for the top universities. This number doesn’t even include the countless exceptional international students, many of whom from more challenging education systems than that of the UK! Just like that, I knew that I couldn’t simply throw away the extra time at home that I was given. I would have to apply to university without the handholding. Staying organised has always been a key to success, and I found that the pandemic granted me the extra time necessary to complete my application three months early. Getting my personal statement out of the way was just the beginning of a domino effect I had no idea would be so beneficial. Without realising, I’d already begun to work through my to-do list of “Adult Things” when I had to bunk down and study my hardest later in the year. I was able to receive offers and information from my university as soon as it was available, I applied to accommodation before all my friends, and I even had time to have a go with pre-reading lists. It’s safe to say that once the results are in, it’s a lot easier to make decisions about your future! Making use of any and all online resources I could find also made this process much easier. I attended the offered online tasters, the online accommodation tours, and rigorously hunted for reviews of my universities. I compared course content side-by-side, and emailed questions back and forth with everywhere I was considering. For some students, its not this complicated- and that’s also okay! As a methodical person, I knew I would want to know anything and everything before applying. After all, this would be the biggest investment into my future I’ve ever made- it doesn’t make sense to bet on losing dogs. Being my first chance to be independent, I was thorough when choosing my accommodation, too; I created a list of features that mattered most to me, ranging from price and location to even just the look of the building. I wanted to live somewhere that provided as much of an experience as the university itself. Whether through the university website, external providers or even just a good old-fashioned google, finding your “love at first ‘site’” is all a part of the university experience. At the end of the day, life is what you make it; there is not “making it” without hard work. To anyone that applied to university this year, whether it was a last-minute decision or a lifelong goal, be proud of yourself! You’ve jumped hurdles that didn’t even exist three years ago, and that sounds like hard work to me. Being well-informed is the best way to make the right decisions for your university applications. For more information on Iconinc and our next-level student accommodation, don’t hesitate to contact us on: 0330 111 5200 or email enquiries@iconinc.co.uk.