10 Factors to Consider When Choosing a University

Students and their parents often find it very difficult to make a decision over which University to apply to. Sometimes, they end up getting even more confused when they ask their relatives for suggestions or read some posts on the internet. Choosing a University can be such a daunting task.

At Craydel, we have worked with students in sub-Saharan Africa for a while now, helping them realize their dreams in the best universities in Africa and abroad, while keeping in mind the courses of their choice?

Here are the ten factors that we have pulled from our studies, feedback, and experiences, that you should take into consideration, before choosing a University

Availability and ranking of majors in your area(s) of interest

For students who have a career in mind, and hence already know the study area they want to major in, it is important to consider if the University of your choice ranks highly in your area of interest. It is also important to ensure the University of your choice provides a wide range of majors and programs which allows for flexibility?

Some students don’t know which course or program to choose and some even end up changing majors throughout University. To get guidance on finding a career that matches skills and strengths, check out Craydel Premium.

1. Affordability Furthering your education is quite an investment. Hence, it is important to find out if you can afford the University of your choice. This includes not just your tuition fee (which you can see on every course on Craydel), but your housing requirements, food costs, textbooks, and travel expenses, which our higher education experts can help you estimate. You should also find out if your University provides a payment plan or scholarships? Follow our socials and check out our scholarship Friday posts and get in touch with our higher education experts who can guide you through your application.
2. Ability to Work Part Time
   Especially if you are looking at studying abroad, you should consider the possibility for you to work part-time while studying. Study destinations like Ireland, Australia, Canada, UK, Turkey, Switzerland, Malaysia, Germany, all offer options for you to earn while you learn. Depending on the destination, you can earn between $10 to $20 per hour. Visit our destination specific pages to see how many hours per week you can work.

3. Accreditation

   To get a job in this competing world, you have to choose a degree that is from a nationally or regionally accredited University, which simply means the overall curriculum is standard level. This also governs the student-to-faculty ratio, practical teaching, graduation rate, and quality of teaching. You can see the accreditation body for each of the Universities on the Craydel platform and rest assured that we have done our due diligence?

4. Campus Location?

   After deciding whether to study in one of the best universities abroad or staying in your country, there are still some questions left which you should ask yourself. Is the campus on the outskirts of the city? Is it close to your residence or home? What is the climate of the place, cost of living on-campus vs off-campus, are services available in the vicinity of campus if you’re going to study far away from home?

5. Extracurriculars & On-Campus Facilities

   Your University experience, and overall social and life skills you develop, is highly impacted by the environment around the campus and the different activities, clubs, organizations, festivals etc that you can participate in. Some like athletics, some join sorority clubs, some are interested in research while some are interested in developing leadership skills. Having fun is part of the process of getting a degree or a diploma and is augmented by facilities like the library, food courts, recreation centres, computer labs, centres for research, and other onsite services like a counselling cente, transportation services, career guidance services.

6. Diversity and demographics

   Diversity supplements the whole experience, by allowing you to interact and learn from experiences and perspectives of someone not from your country or religion. This outlook and interactions enable you to challenge predisposed stereotypes, learn to communicate more effectively, and will lead to increased innovation and collaboration. It also prepares you to be ready to work in a global society rather than a confined one.

7. Safety

   How secure is the campus, and the area in which the campus is located? If you’re going to study abroad or the campus is far away from home, this is an important factor for parents and students. You have to check whether the campus and its locality are safe, and check the presence of campus security. Physically visiting the campus is the best way to check these.

8. Career and Placement

   There are schools that have prestige in their name, and then there are schools that are known for the specialization they provide. In both cases, you have to make sure that the degree you are working hard for actually helps you out in your career. Universities also have placement and internships offices to help with career progression after graduation. Which is an important factor that you should inquire about when beginning your application process?

9. Student and Alumni reviews

   What better way to learn about a University, than through the people who are studying / studied there? You can actually get reviews from students who are currently studying in the University or who have already graduated from it to get to know the actual feel of the whole experience there. Great Universities have alumni networks. And apart from helping you stay connected to your fellow alumni, alumni networks can also help you get some jobs in the area of your interest?

   Needless to say, there is a lot of research you need to do before starting this next big chapter of your education journey. Our advice, start by going to our University pages, and then consult Craydel’s expert admission counsellors to help you through this process of discovery and comparison, and even put you in touch with University reps.

   Craydel will be your partner the whole way through!