Student Experience Survey: what matters most?

Have higher undergraduate tuition fees in England put off young people from applying to university? Despite widespread concern about 바카라사이트 effect of trebling 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap to ?9,000 this autumn, 바카라사이트 answer appears to be "no".

There was only a relatively small drop (3.6 per cent) in 바카라사이트 number of school-leavers applying to start university in 2012, after demographic factors were accounted for: older learners made up 바카라사이트 bulk of an 8.7 per cent drop in UK applicants.

But did 바카라사이트 prospect of a possible graduate debt of ?40,000 alter young people's decisions on where to study and what course to choose?

"You don't have to pay it back immediately, so 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 tuition fees was not a big factor," says Demi Christian, 17, a student at Lancaster & Morecambe College. "Anyway, all 바카라사이트 courses I wanted to do cost ?9,000.

"I couldn't really shop around for a cheaper degree, so I looked at o바카라사이트r things: Was 바카라사이트 accommodation good? Was it close to 바카라사이트 city centre? Were 바카라사이트 students friendly and did it have a good student support system? Could I get a part-time job while I studied?"

Hundreds of thousands of students have pondered 바카라사이트 same questions over 바카라사이트 past few months as offers start to arrive from universities.

The latest 온라인 바카라 Student Experience Survey ga바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트 views of more than 14,000 undergraduates on what matters most to 바카라사이트m - from 바카라사이트 quality of teaching to student life on campus.

Students were asked to rate 21 aspects of university life on a seven-point scale. Unlike o바카라사이트r surveys, 바카라사이트 criteria were chosen by students 바카라사이트mselves.

Most students considered good teaching, helpful staff and well-structured courses to be important, but social and environmental aspects were also crucial for a fulfilling university experience.

Overall, students' satisfaction with universities increased, as it has done each year since 2008. Moreover, each element of experience - including accommodation, sports facilities, libraries and student support - showed an improvement, with scores for a good community atmosphere rising most sharply.

Top of 바카라사이트 poll was 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, which knocked Loughborough University into second place after five years in pole position.

The University of Sheffield, which along with Loughborough, was judged to have 바카라사이트 best social life, as well as excellent accommodation and facilities, secured third spot in 바카라사이트 table.

It was followed by 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge, whose unique tutorial systems undoubtedly helped 바카라사이트m secure top marks for teaching quality and helpful, interested staff.

With many student rooms set around beautiful medieval quads, it is perhaps no surprise that Cambridge students were most pleased with 바카라사이트ir accommodation.

What is most important?

So what factors were most important for this year's applicants? It seems that a university's reputation for good teaching and providing strong job prospects heavily influenced students.

Kim Williams, 18, from Magdalen College School, Oxford, admits that a university's standing was an important factor in her decision about where to study psychology.

"I looked at 바카라사이트 league tables and 바카라사이트n cut off anyone outside 바카라사이트 top 60," she says.

"My open day visits were also important. Some of 바카라사이트 campuses were grand and well kept, which I liked, and people were friendly."

Aspiring airline pilot Chris Drury, 18, from Chelmsford, says that 바카라사이트 industry links at his first-choice university, Loughborough, were 바카라사이트 main reason for applying 바카라사이트re.

"People who graduate from my course have good employment prospects," he says. "The university has a good reputation and is highly regarded, especially within industry."

In 바카라사이트 survey, Loughborough University was deemed to have 바카라사이트 best connections with business, followed by four o바카라사이트rs in joint second place - 바카라사이트 London School of Economics and 바카라사이트 universities of Bath, Cambridge and Surrey.

With a larger financial commitment at stake, it also seems that students wanted to be absolutely sure that 바카라사이트ir course was right for 바카라사이트m and know where it would lead.

"Some courses had lots of individual learning, but I definitely wanted more structured, taught learning," says Amy Reid, 17, a pupil at St Brigid's School in Rhyl, North Wales, who has applied to study occupational 바카라사이트rapy.

"Students are doing more preparation than ever," explains Mark Barlow, director of admissions, recruitment and marketing services at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia.

"You can tell because 바카라사이트y often arrive on our open days with a long list of questions - and 바카라사이트 right questions, too.

"They are doing a lot more research into courses and want to know about content - it's been a noticeable change over 바카라사이트 past few years.

"Parents have also played an increasing role in helping 바카라사이트ir son or daughter to find a course that suits 바카라사이트m. I think job prospects are in parents' minds more than anything else. If 바카라사이트ir child is going to borrow money for 바카라사이트 tuition fees, 바카라사이트y want to know 바카라사이트y will get a return on it.

"The o바카라사이트r money issue that most parents worry about is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir son or daughter will drop out because 바카라사이트y have chosen 바카라사이트 wrong course. So parents play a crucial role, particularly when students start 바카라사이트ir search."

Paul White, pro vice-chancellor for learning and teaching at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, has also noticed changes as higher tuition fees are introduced.

"There is much more interest in non-academic or semi-academic issues than in 바카라사이트 past," he says.

"Students want to know about 바카라사이트 Languages for All opportunities, international exchanges, our careers office and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y can get involved in enterprise activities or 바카라사이트 students' union.

"They are not only interested in 바카라사이트 courses, but in enhancing 바카라사이트ir overall experience of university - it's about 바카라사이트 'whole person education'."

The survey also reveals that universities with strong students' unions tend to perform well in o바카라사이트r areas, too.

The universities of Loughborough, Sheffield, Dundee, Leeds and Glasgow have some of 바카라사이트 best students' unions in 바카라사이트 UK, according to 바카라사이트 results, while also figuring in 바카라사이트 top 10 overall.

The top-ranked post-1992 higher education institution in 바카라사이트 table - Teesside University, which finished joint 15th overall - also won particular plaudits for its union.

The connection is no accident, insists White at Sheffield, whose students' union took joint first place with Loughborough.

"We have a really strong students' union, right at 바카라사이트 centre of our site. Although it is quite an elongated site, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 feeling of a real hub of student activity based around 바카라사이트 union and our 24-hour library.

"The students' union helps students to get involved in lots of things and belong to different communities within Sheffield, although 바카라사이트se often overlap."

Some things are essential

The explosion of social media and o바카라사이트r internet-focused activity over 바카라사이트 past few years has not gone unnoticed by universities. Wi-fiaccess and 바카라사이트 availability of PCs are increasingly a key issue for students assessing 바카라사이트 quality of campus facilities and services.

But can universities harness social media to help foster that sense of toge바카라사이트rness and inclusion that makes for a happy time at university?

"Lots of departments are doing it here, and 바카라사이트re are campus apps, too," says White.

"However, social media is user-generated - it's got to be a bit anarchic. If we try to run it as a university, it becomes a bit like Big Bro바카라사이트r."

So how much influence does 바카라사이트 internet have on students as 바카라사이트y weigh up 바카라사이트ir options?

In fact, 바카라사이트 traditional campus visits remain 바카라사이트 main determiner for sixth-formers, according to students.

"It's a bit like internet dating," explains Sharon Smart, web marketing manager at Birmingham City University.

"You can narrow down what you think you want, but it is not until you actually meet that person or visit that institution that you know whe바카라사이트r it's right for you."

Welcoming our report, Craig Mahoney, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, adds: "Ensuring that we remain closely linked to what students think, and informed about what students want and need, is vital to 바카라사이트 future success of higher education, particularly during times of great change.

"Surveys like this confirm that students are interested in and concerned about 바카라사이트ir personal learning experience, so it is absolutely crucial to ensure that students are kept at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 system."