How to Find Universities that Align with Your Personal Values

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the UK, with thousands more around the world. You’ve heard about some of them from teachers, school counsellors, family members, and friends. You may have read through ranking lists and intend to apply to the top-ranked schools in your area. The challenge with that strategy is that the “best” universities may not be the best universities for you. University is a time to pursue your academic interests, develop your career path, and grow as a person while also creating your own social community.

Although you will only be on campus for four years, your alma mater will be with you for the rest of your life, bringing with it friends, professional connections, and endless opportunities. So, before you get started on how to find the best university for you, take a step back and think about what you value most in life so that your university list reflects your values.

WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES?

People are happiest and most fulfilled when they live in ways that align with their values, so it’s critical that you identify what’s most important to you before deciding where to spend a significant portion of your early adulthood. To get started, try Carnegie Mellon University’s values exercise to explore your core values.

When you have a better understanding of what is most important to you, begin connecting your list of values to the major characteristics of colleges and universities.

LOCATION

Where on the planet will you feel the most connected to your values? Say you value creativity. Where do you feel the most creative? Perhaps a bustling city provides you with ideas and energy. Perhaps you think best in quieter spaces surrounded by natural beauty. Consider the climate as well. Are you inspired by dramatic seasonal changes, or do you prefer consistent temperature and weather? How about the proximity to your hometown? Those who value freedom may choose to relocate to a new city by plane, whereas students who value security may prefer to stay close to home. Be sure to judge in person rather than on paper, as we’ve had many students say they wanted to be in a city until they fell in love with a rural campus.

SCHOOL SIZE

School size can have a big impact on your college experience. If you value independence, you may prefer a large school with a variety of options. For example, at the University of Cambridge, which has a total undergraduate enrolment of 18,655, students can engage in a variety of impressive research opportunities while also being active members of the vibrant arts community. On the other hand, a small school may allow you to design your own education. First-year students participate in interdisciplinary seminars that cover a wide range of topics. Do you value your present relationships with the adults in your life? A small school may provide you with more face-to-face time with your professors than a large school, where graduate student teaching assistants teach large classes. Consider what your values mean to you, and how the size of your school will affect your experience.

SCHOOL CURRICULA

Does your ideal school have a core curriculum or more flexible distribution requirements? Does a liberal arts education appeal to you, or do you prefer a pre-professional track? Arts University Bournemouth takes great pride in its liberal arts perspective, which is why it offers Encounters, a two-semester introduction to the liberal arts. Bradford University, on the other hand, is career-oriented and provides an accelerated undergraduate path to the workforce, as well as several business-focused tracks such as entrepreneurship and strategic management. Cambridge University is well-known for its core curriculum, whereas schools such as Bournemouth allow students to actively design their own academic programs while encouraging them to pursue a broad liberal arts education. If law students find difficulty to write an excellent paper, they can get help from Law coursework writing service UK-based services.

Also, consider your next steps after college. If you are certain that you want to attend graduate school, conduct some research to determine which undergraduate programs will best prepare you for your next chapter. Check with write my law essay for me services and schools of interest to see how many scholarships have been awarded in the last few graduating classes, and consult alumni magazines and websites for information on the most common career paths.

PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES

You can use your values to prioritise the programs and resources you want for your school. If you value adventure, consider applying to schools with a wide range of study abroad programs. For those who value collaboration and teamwork, schools that emphasize group projects and interdisciplinary learning are ideal. And if having fun is high on your list, explore clubs and extracurricular activities that will keep you active when you need a study break.

THE SCHOOL’S CORE VALUES:

Many colleges and universities post their core values online. For example, the list includes purposeful discovery, free and open inquiry and expression, a sense of belonging, cross-border exploration, changing people’s lives through engagement, and respect for the environment. Oxford College promotes academic rigour, intellectual curiosity, egalitarianism, social justice, and liberty. You might also want to think about different types of diversity when making your college list. Information about student body characteristics is readily available online.

Information about student body characteristics is easily accessible online. U.K. News, for example, calculated a diversity index for national, liberal arts, and regional schools using racial and ethnic data. Browse the websites and brochures of colleges that interest you to see how well your values match theirs. Check out an online blog post on how to find the perfect university for you, and visit as many campuses as possible. Take advantage of educational institutions that allow high school students to stay overnight to get a true sense of student life.

When you’ve narrowed down your list of universities based on how they align with your values, you’ll need to explain to admissions officers how you plan to contribute meaningfully to their campus communities.