Choosing a university? Start with an ordinary Tuesday.

A university choice can become a contest between impressive numbers: a position in a league table, the size of a campus or the number of courses on offer. Those details may help you make a shortlist. They cannot tell you what it will feel like to spend an ordinary week there.

Try a different starting point. Picture a Tuesday midway through your first term. You have a class, an assignment you do not quite understand and a few hours between commitments. Where do you go, who can help, and what does the day cost in time and energy? Use that imagined day to turn a broad search into specific questions.

Look closely at the course you will actually take

Read the programme structure, including compulsory modules, available options and how work is assessed. Two courses with similar names can ask students to do very different things. Ask the department for an example timetable and a description of a typical assignment. Clarify whether the modules that interest you are guaranteed, optional or subject to availability.

Make a small comparison sheet for each course. Record what you would learn, how you would practise it and how you would receive feedback. If an answer is missing, treat it as a question to follow up rather than filling the gap with a positive assumption.

Follow the route from a problem to support

Instead of asking whether support exists, ask how you would use it. Who is the first contact when you are struggling with coursework? How do you arrange an appointment? What happens outside regular office hours? International applicants can also ask which services help with arrival, orientation and adapting to an unfamiliar academic environment.

A useful answer describes a process, not simply a department name. Save the relevant official links so you can revisit them before making a decision.

Compare the whole week, not just the classroom

Build a realistic weekly plan around travel, meals, study space and any responsibilities you expect to keep. Ask current students where they work between classes and which parts of their routine surprised them. Their experiences are individual perspectives, so speak to more than one person if possible.

Keep a separate list of costs beyond tuition. Use the institution's current information and your own circumstances; do not assume a quoted fee includes housing, materials or other expenses. Check any conditions attached to scholarships directly with the provider.

Finish with three reasons that are yours

Write three sentences explaining why a course fits your goals. Each sentence should connect an observed feature to something you value: a particular teaching approach, an accessible support process or a manageable daily routine.

If your explanation consists only of reputation and a beautiful campus, keep asking questions. A good shortlist should help you describe how you would learn and live there, not just how the institution presents itself.