Many people start thinking about potential universities once they start their AS Levels. They will have an idea about the types of course they want to do and perhaps even which university they’d like to attend. Other people are more decided and will have a very clear idea about exactly where they want to go and what they want to do.
Such students often don’t see the point of applying to more than one university – after all, there’s only one place they want to go anyway. However, there are plenty of reasons that you should apply to more than one university, even if you feel confident about where you want to end up once you’ve done your A-Levels.
You might change your mind
Even though right now you think that your chosen university is where you want to end up, there’s nothing to say that in a few months you won’t change your mind. This is especially the case once you start attending open days and find out that actually, those other universities seem pretty good and the one you had your heart set on isn’t everything you hoped it would be.
There’s no harm in applying for other universities just in case you change your mind – after all, there’s nothing to say that you have to accept their place if they offer you one.
You might not achieve the necessary grades
When you make your university choices you can pick both a firm choice and a reserve choice. Your firm choice is your number one option, while your reserve choice is a back-up. This means that if you don’t get the grades required for your first choice university you could still have a place on a course somewhere else.
However, if you don’t apply to more than one university you can’t have a reserve choice. Should you fail to get the grades needed you’ll find yourself having to go through clearing, a process by which universities that have unfilled courses offer places on a first come first served basis. Not knowing where you’ll end up or if you’ll even get a place can be very stressful.
Such courses aren’t likely to have been your second or even your third choice options. Why take the risk of getting a place at a university you never wanted to go to, or perhaps not even getting in at all when you can safely apply for more than one university and have a backup choice?
Life is unpredictable
Plenty of student’s first choice university is one far away from home, whether that’s because the courses offered are better, or simply because they want to get away from their family.
However, it’s always a good idea to apply to a university closer to home because you never know what life will throw up. Certain circumstances could make staying at home much more convenient. Again, putting a home university as an option won’t force you to take it, so what is there to stop you?
This post was penned on behalf of OCVC.