Applying to university has always been a bit of a minefield, but recent (2024) research from Bristol University, in partnership with The Higher Education Policy Institute and Advance HE, revealed that over half (52 per cent) of the graduates asked felt that with hindsight they would have made a different choice about what or where to study.  35 per cent of the undergraduates asked, felt that they would have made a different decision if they had the chance to start again.

Interestingly, the most common reason the graduates gave for their response was that they felt that different courses would have given them better career options, whilst undergraduates felt that they would be happier and fit in better elsewhere.

The authors of the report recognise that the stakes are high for students in terms of both their time and the cost and they highlight the need for more information and better advice and guidance for students and we agree!

At Debrett’s Education we advise our clients to start thinking about what they might want to study at university as soon as possible – and certainly from Year 9 – as the choices that they have to make at GCSE and A-Level are precursors to making that decision. That is not to say that this may change but it is important to start to take some ownership of the pathway that you would like to set out on.

Here are our top tips for where to start to share with your child:

1.    As early as you can, start to think about the kind of career that you would like to follow; ask your careers adviser at school, talk to family and friends about the work that they do and what it was that they needed to study to be able to get there.

2.    Use the resources in school and on the UCAS website or, if you are thinking about studying abroad there are a range of useful sites that will help you to understand what you need to do and the courses available.

3.    Look closely at the different university’s websites. Look at the entry requirements for the courses that interest you and look at what careers their graduates go on to follow.

4.    Look also for student satisfaction surveys and other league tables that tell you how highly the courses rank across the country.

5.    Try to go along to university Open Days, to visit the campus and meet students and tutors; ask yourself if you think you can see yourself there – will you be living in halls, rented accommodation or staying at home? Think about the accommodation that the university provides.

Ideally you should try to do all these things before you are under pressure to make a decision – we would always suggest that you should be making a start certainly at least two years before you embark on your application.

Once you have an idea of what it is that you would like to study, you then need to start to research the different courses that are on offer at different universities, remember that the universities create the courses themselves and these play to the strengths of the lecturers they have, so  Modern History at Durham, will not be the same as Modern History at Edinburgh for example.

Remember also that the format of the Personal Statement is changing for 2026.  With so many students being predicted and achieving excellent grades, the Personal Statement is the student’s opportunity to present a more personal element to their application; a justification if you like as to why they want to pursue and are right for their particular path of study.  If your child is still at school, their teachers should be aware of this and there is a lot of information that can help, so again, try to read up about it before making a start.

And finally, the team at Debrett’s Education have many years of experience helping students make successful choices and are on hand to give you free, impartial advice. We are always happy to help not only with university choices, but we can also give expert guidance on how to approach the Personal Statement and take you through the whole application process.