How to choose a university?

One of the most complex and vital decisions of students is choosing a university. The transition from high school to university is a complex transition: change in lifestyle, new environment, new classmates, unfamiliarity, change in study culture, strength, improvement... Therefore, choosing the right university is crucial. Numerous studies in the economics of education can help us identify some of the decision factors valued by pre-university students. Among others, they include: Number of scholarships and what they cover. Existence of international agreements that make it possible to carry out stays in foreign centers via Erasmus and other mobility aids. The cost of studies. Practical issues such as geographical location, travel to and within campus, degree schedules, center facilities and study modality . Curricular issues , such as the existence of double degrees, access grades, training offer and study plans.



The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain provides an online tool and application called QEDU: What to study and where at university that offers official information to the population who are thinking about accessing the University. This application compiles information on degrees taught in Spanish Europe Mobile Number List universities , obtained from the Registry of Universities, Centers and Degrees and the Integrated University Information System. The information generated by the application offers data on the degree and the university in which it is taught: modality , language, number of places, location of the university, cut-off marks for the current and previous call. Another similar initiative is the U-Ranking project of the BBVA Foundation and the Valencian Institute for Economic Research (Ivie), which analyzes the functioning of Spanish universities.







Just as choosing a university career requires a subtle change of perspective and a work of self-knowledge and self-observation from the previous educational stages , choosing a university must be done from a holistic vision. On the one hand, we must keep in mind the conditions under which we make the decision: how we make it (issues that have to do with our possibilities and personal circumstances such as the price of tuition or the distance from the center). On the other hand, we must also keep in mind that decisions are not only rational . Analyzing the reasons that make us prefer or prioritize one factor or another in the final decision will allow us to identify the issues that seem most important to us because of how we are and what we value most. Thinking about concepts such as what makes it different from other universities or what value it provides can also help us choose a university.