Looking for the perfect University can seem so daunting and stressful at the beginning...especially when every, single Uni is telling you why you absolutely need to go to them and there's no way you should even consider anywhere else. This in itself just adds to the confusion, so take a step back and follow these simple steps:

The first thing you should do is choose your course, what subject area or career are you interested in? If you're struggling then there are many online 'course finder' tests which you can take to give you a few suggestions! This will then whittle down some of the Universities straight away as not all of them will offer your course!

Once you've chosen your course, the next thing you should do is to decide what type of University you're looking for; for example, if you're sure that you want to stay close to home then there's no point even considering travelling hours to University Open Days which are really far away! There are many aspects to consider, such as how the course is taught...does it suit your style of learning? The accommodation which is offered....is it guaranteed that you will have somewhere to live? Social Life...if you're looking for the party lifestyle, is it available in that area?

Next thing, organise to visit a few of your chosen contenders at Open Days! These will offer you a much better insight into everything about the University and what you will be able to expect if you studied there. There are also lots of opportunities to ask any questions or queries that you have in mind, so don't forget to take a notepad and pen! Also, take someone along with you so you can compare opinions. After the visit, try to make a note of your initial thoughts so that you don't forget or get it mixed up with another Uni at a later date! The last thing you want to do is choose a Uni then turn up and realise you'd got them mixed up and your dream Uni was actually 'the other one'!!

Consider the grade requirements. Be realistic with what grades you're likely to achieve and consider if there's any point applying for a University which recquires grades you could never get, equally if they're low grade boundaries and you think you'll definatley surpass them, then take this on board when making your decision.

You get to choose three options through UCAS when applying so make sure you consider these thoroughly! After that, it all comes down to your grades and offers, so be sure to put in the time and effort in order to reap the rewards afterwards. Finally, after your exams are all done, you can only sit back, relax and await the results and offers!