How to work out if university is right for your teen

With university admissions on the horizon, it can be difficult for parents and teens to navigate the options available and decide what path is best. As part of their free e-Book, leading EdTech platform MyTutor have comprised a guide to university and have revealed their top tips:

1) Research, research, research

If your teen is considering university, research is one of the most valuable things to do. Whether that be going online and looking at university websites, exploring prospectuses and courses available, or asking alumni about their experiences. Although the pandemic has made it more difficult to attend face-to-face events, most universities will be offering open days which can help teens get a feel for what university is best for them.

2) Get talking to people

Although advice from teachers, parents and friends individually is great, it’s useful to talk to as many people as possible to gain a holistic and varied idea of university. It is also be really beneficial to talk to people who have attended university themselves. The tutors at MyTutor are also great people to speak with, as a large proportion of them are current students who only experienced the admissions process themselves in recent years.

3) Think about future career options

Some careers, such as doctors or dentists, require a degree. If there is a particular industry that your teen is wanting to go into, finding out whether a degree is a necessity is important. However, even if your teen’s ideal career path doesn’t require a degree, or if they are unsure what they want to do in the future, attending university can open up lots of doors and provide valuable opportunities for the future.

4) Consider alternative routes to university

It can be easy to feel as though university is the obvious choice post-school or college, but there is a plethora of other avenues out there that will help set your teen up for a successful future. Whether its apprenticeships, going straight to work, a gap year or college – it’s important to consider all options available.

Co-founder of MyTutor, Bertie Hubbard, discusses the support available for teens:

“2020 was the most disrupted school year in the UK for 75 years, with has left many parents and their children feeling more anxious than ever. In a normal year, exam season is a major source of stress for teens – we’ve found that 40% adults say that exams were the most stressful time in their lives. With the added pressure of getting their learning on track while the pandemic ensues, teens will benefit from extra support to help them get the grades they deserve.

At MyTutor, our tutors are perfectly placed to give teens the academic support they need during this challenging time. They’re all subject experts handpicked from UK unis, with recent exam experience and up-to-date curriculum knowledge to help kids do their best on exam day. Because they’re close in age, they’re great at relating to teens and explaining things in a way they’ll understand. They also had their own education disrupted by covid-19 this year, and as a result they can empathise even more as they know just what they’re going through. MyTutor students improve, on average, by a whole grade in 12 lessons. On top of that, 88% say that lessons made them feel more confident in their studies – just what they need to head into the exam hall ready to ace it.”