You have now covered the basics but your road to an education has just begun! After conducting good research you are now making the bold step to choosing the right qualification!

1. Choosing a university or any institution of choice can be whittled down to a few factors:

Location: in many cases because of the cost of travel and accommodation ,individuals need to study at an institution that is close to their current home..

Affordability: the cost of education is always a cause for debate and this is the same with the manner in which individuals actually make a choice about their studies.

Course offerings, some universities or institutions tend to offer more rounded or better degree foundations that can enhance the individual’s careers.

Facilitates: institutions with top sporting, cultural or academic centres do have an upper hand in attracting applicants.(afterall, a healthy body breeds a healthy mind!)

Prestige: yip some people pick a university based on the fact that their parents/relatives had attended it or the university is a big enough brand that wants the best of the best students.A university in high demand is always a good thing!

And finally, peer pressure: because your mates are going to a certain university, you want to follow them and join the crowd.(hopefully they have done all the above groundwork and you’re not just following the herd!)

2. Majors and Courses (what are you wanting to study!

Medicine, accounting, engineering, law, science, sociology, psychology…there are a wealth of courses out there - just make sure that you have understood what is required from you to pass and progress forward when you have entered into a specific course. The number of first year dropouts at university is staggering and it’s a common hurdle form many an aspiring student (and sadly not all end up like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates).

3. The transition from an applicant to an actual student (this is the part where you get a student card!)

So you made the grade, you got the acceptance letter and now it is time to enter the big bad world of being a student. In most institutions an orientation week is the routine for individuals to get acquainted with their surroundings.. In most cases this is split between an academic and social procedure. If you are attending orientation do so with an open mind because what you see at orientation is a quick overview of life at university without digging in too deep.

4. Accommodation: (Living at home, in a flat, fraternity or campus residence.)

Living at home has its benefits.In most cases you don’t have to pay rent and food is prepared and ready for you (we repeat in “most cases”, some families have different structuring). If you have that option it allows you to keep your overheads and student fees at a low level. Living away from home can be tricky; it can be expensive at times and means you have to grow up super-fast!

A Flat or digs: whether you are living on your own or in a digs with others, there are certain things you need to factor into your budget. Paying for rent, groceries, utilities and even sourcing furniture is a process. However if you can do it smartly, you can have the independence that all students yearn for whilst studying.

Living on campus: whether you are part of a fraternity or in a residence/hostel, living on campus has both its pros and cons. However you do get the option of three square meals and full access to the university ahead of individuals who live off campus.

5. Fees:

The struggle or battle of paying tuition fees is an on-going issue which has hassled students for a long time. Some countries have fantastic government initiatives whereby the governmentassists in financing an individual’s education either fully or partially. Fee payment options for individuals range from paying privately (either through a sponsor, parents or self), having a student loan, bursary, scholarships and grants. (the latter three require some brain power from the students point of view – your good grades will help you nail one of those)

6. Textbooks:

There is a business aspect behind educating the world and one of those areas are textbooks. Lecturers and course outlines at university recommend compulsory textbooks that individuals need to have in order to pass a course. The easy part is being able to read the textbook to pass your course but the difficulty is actually having the finances to pay for that book!

Whatever the situation is, getting your hands on recommended readings are always crucial to your academic goals. Check out Amazon's textbooks!