what to think about if you're in y12

Location, location, location…​

How are you fixed for September 2019? If you've already taken some time to weigh up your options and decided on uni, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s the easy bit over.

The next question is which uni to go to. A good way to start is to figure out where you might want to be.

Here’s just three questions you might like to ponder when thinking about location:

• How far do you want to go? Do you fancy the idea of being able to nip home at the weekend to get a roast dinner and a load of laundry done? Or would you prefer to put at least a couple of hundred miles between you and any chance of a surprise visit from Mum and Dad?
• What kind of weather suits you? Do you crave the rays? Or are you happy in a T in mid-winter? What’s your attitude to latitude? The climate across the UK may not be tropical anywhere, but more southerly generally means warmer. You’re guaranteed rain anywhere, but in some places more than others.​
• What kind of a place? Do you get jitters being more than three metres from a decent cappuccino and a shopping mall? Or does your heart belong in the hills, lowing with the cattle? Do you need the sand and sea? Or do you want to be part of a community of students?

Universities can be found all over the place, in all sorts of environments.

Some are dotted around the middle of major cities. Some are on campuses, like small towns of their own, out in the countryside. Your surroundings can have a big effect on how you spend your days as a student and whether the atmosphere suits you.

Location is just one of the many factors for you to consider along the winding path towards university.

If you’d like to get further away, you may be thinking of studying overseas — it’s something lots of people consider. Check out our section on International Study, or some of our blogs on the highs and lows of studying abroad.

For help choosing between institutions, have a look at our Which One? section, or head to UCAS for their guides on all the different uni options.

Author

LUCY HARDING  is the Editorial manager for Push. She is an English Literature grad and an MA Publishing student at UCL. She is passionate about international relations and cultural diversity, having worked closely with her university’s Erasmus society to support European students. She also spent a year abroad studying at California State University: Long Beach

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