Prospectuses: how useful are they really?

There is the distinctive heavy thud as the post hits the floor. Poor postman I think, getting up to collect the pile of prospectuses that lies on the doormat, waiting for my prying eyes.

The prospectus process

This is it, I think after devouring the first prospectus, this is the one. Alas, I have been taken in by the marketing: the photography of the best and most attractive buildings at the height of summer, the figures that are so obnoxiously bold and brightly coloured that I fail to notice the minute asterisk that follows the boastful statement and compromises the whole claim. Back to the drawing board, onto the second. And so the process is repeated with the prospectuses still in their plastic packaging that have included my name in the whole design...  

But choosing a university isn’t just dictated by ingenious marketing ploys or attractive photography; so many other factors have to be considered. Is it expensive to live there? What is it like to live in the area? Will an employer even look twice at my application if I included this university’s name as a badge of honour on my CV? Where even is this place?

Looking at the rankings

So. Many. Prospectuses.

Something that comforts me is the impressive accreditation some universities have. Ranked #1 for Theoretical Physics and Space-time Continuum Studies, winner of a Whatuni Student Choice Award and the base of the largest Muggle Quidditch Society in the UK? It all feeds into the building appeal for that particular university.

But what is truly an emphasised boasting point in any prospectus is their coveted league table position. Any prospective student trawling through should take some of these rankings with caution, though; as essentially the measurement of deciding who is better is often entirely subjective.

While it’s easy to pick a league table top ten university on its merit alone, it’s essential to bear in mind what experience you’ll have living in this new place. This is where reading student reviews is really key, as it'll provides a unique insight into what it's really like to be a student at that university.

NEXT: Read student reviews on Whatuni.

What they leave out

You'll probably find that many prospectuses display striking images of their city skyline or blissful meadows surrounding the site, making us immediately fantasise about studying at that university. And by all means you could be brainstorming your dissertation on the lawn overlooking the idyllic lake reserved for the rowing team practises, but we often don’t see the less ‘pretty’ parts of a campus.

As a prospective student, I want to see pictures of all the grounds: the 1960s prefab blocks, the gyms reserved for the average student trying to shift the infamous ‘Freshers’ Fifteen’, and not the ones reserved for  the semi-professional athletes who are Olympic certainties.

Prospectuses are useful for showing us the best parts of the campus and the surrounding areas – the historical chapels, Grade listed buildings, romantically lit harbours, vibrant festivals and quirky boutiques and cafes in a town that is “big enough to constantly find new things to do but small enough to not be lost in” – but not for showcasing the whole package.

NEXT: Book an open day to see what the uni is really like.

My final thoughts

I think universities should move to a more open book, upfront approach with their prospectuses to show us the good, the bad and the ugly, which they cannot hide on open days unless they have the skill to make less attractive buildings on campus temporarily vanish à la David Blaine.

Prospectuses should have the honesty of an RSPCA adoption profile, describing exactly what kind of person would suit the university in no explicit terms, listing all its flaws and perks with no holds barred before prospective students make the pilgrimage to an open day. It’s time to step away from the sepia lenses and conveniently placed laughing and smiling students on the hottest day of the year standing by the Grade II listed building basically.

NEXT: Want to order/download a prospectus? Step right this way...