Choosing the right university can often be harder than choosing your course itself. Which university has the best facilities? The best support? The friendliest environment? The most convenient travel routes? And most importantly – which university is closest to the best food spots?

The UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering (MPBE) Offer-Holder Day is back again this year – and it is here to answer all of your questions! The opportunity to learn more about the courses I was considering was certainly a valuable one – especially given how indecisive I am in general. The event included talks and presentations from faculty members and current students, which provided valuable insight into the curriculum, teaching style, and research opportunities available.

 Academia aside, the campus tour – led by current students – was the perfect chance to explore the facilities available and find out the best study spots, libraries and cafes available on campus. I was able to get a sense of the social life at UCL, the support services available to students, and the opportunities for extracurricular activities. Perhaps what stood out the most to me was how welcoming the students leading my tour were – and is ultimately what invited me back to study at UCL full-time.

Finally, attending the Offer-Holder Day gave me the opportunity to meet other prospective students and make new friends. University can be a daunting experience, especially if you’re moving to a new city or country. Meeting other students who were in the same position as me helped me to feel more connected to the university community and gave me a great sense of friendship and support.

If you were considering going to the UCL MPBE Offer-Holder Day, let me make that decision for you – do it! There is so much more to see than what is available on a website or prospectus. The Offer-Holder Day is such a great opportunity to have all of your questions answered by students as well as staff, to get an understanding of the campus vibe, and to make new friends – friends who you may just end up going to lectures with come October.

You can view more pictures from the May 2022 Offer Holder Day here >>>

This blog was written by Saarah, Medical Physics

Everyone has their own concerns about university and what not. One big question that every student asks themselves is “How should I approach university open days?”. Firstly, it’s crucial to understand that open days are made for students and students are the center of attention. Obviously, students who attend these open days need to see whether this university is what they are looking for. But how can you do that?

1. Make a list (whether it be a physical list or a note in your mind) of what you are looking for in a university. Some people want very academic universities that have very intense learning programmes, while others want a university that has a good academic approach, but that gives them the freedom to socialise more. Some people want big universities, other smaller ones.
2. When preparing for a university open day it is a good idea to make a list of questions to ask. Take a note of the answers and see whether they match what you are looking for.

So, as you see there is nothing to worry about when going to an open day, and worst comes to worst you do not like the university and you do not apply there. But at least you had a good day vising the university!

As to university applications, not to get philosophical or anything, but it is a good idea to pick based on your priorities and university is the best for you. It is very common to go for universities that have big names as there’s a perception that graduating from a big-name university automatically means you are successful. Of course, graduating from top universities plays a part in building a good network with people, but who said you cannot do that by graduating somewhere else?

Now, I can’t say what is best for you, it took me a lot of thinking and reflection to find out what is the best for me, and I am still learning. Trust me when I say, your mental wellbeing is very important. People seem to forget that when it comes to choosing a university. Yes, work hard and challenge yourself with a high-ranking university if you can, but remember a university is nothing more than a place, it is your adaptation to it that makes the difference. To ease off the anxiety that comes with the idea of university, there seems to be this idea that some universities are unreachable and impossible to get in, but the bigger picture is that those students studying there are just like you, yes you reading this. University is so much more than learning. It is about making friends and gaining experience while getting a taste of freedom and responsibility that comes with being a young adult.

Shake off the fears that come with the idea of university and remember all the universities are made for students and they are achievable with the right amount of dedication! Good luck!

This blog was written by Elio, MEng Biomedical Engineering

Photo credit: James Tye | UCL Welcome 2021