Advice and info: where to turn
I’m sure you’ve been exploring this site widely, gripped and paying close attention. Good.
In that case, by now you’ll be saying, it’s all very well to tell me I need to prioritise universities based on the price of a pint in the student bar and on whether they have a tiddlywinks society, but where on earth do I get that kind of detail? Come to think of it, where do I even find out what courses are available and where, how good they are and what grades they expect me to get?
Worry no more. This section is a guide to who to ask, about what and whether to believe them.
Who can you rely on?
There are six basic criteria for a good source of information and we have given each of them a star rating so you know who to trust.
No stars means that as far as the criterion in question is concerned, that source is as reliable as a Jaffa Cake bridge. Three stars means it’s good to go.
So, those criteria are:
- Accurate: Whatever they tell you, it must be right.
- Comparative: Do they compare one place to another, judging them equally or make it possible for you to do so?
- Comprehensive: Can they tell you about all your options and every university in the UK?
- Detailed: How much depth of information can you get?
- Independent: The advice should be warts and all, with no axe to grind, no vested interests, nothing to sell.
- Understanding: Do they know what you want? Do they talk your language?
Finally:
Push,
Teachers,
Careers Advisers,
Parents, brothers, sisters, friends, Prospectuses,
Alternative Prospectuses,
Visits, interviews and open days,
UCAS rating,
Other, guidebooks,
Websites,
Multimedia and video prospectuses,
Others
Last updated on: 26 November 2008