4 Tips for Your University Research Journey

I remember when I first started researching universities. It was me, my Google Sheets spreadsheet and the Ontario Universities’ Info (OUInfo) (external link, opens in new window)  website against the world. I was so excited about all the different programs and universities that were out there for me to discover. Lots of research was done before I finally decided on the Creative Industries program here at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Honestly, it was all a little overwhelming, and I’m sure many of you would agree with me too. Here are four tips I have based on my own university research journey that will hopefully help you on yours too.

One of the reasons why I love the internet is that all the information is available to me at my fingertips. It’s great for falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes, but it was also helpful for researching different universities, their programs, prerequisites and everything else you might need to know. OUInfo (external link, opens in new window)  is a fantastic resource for that. The website has information about all the programs offered by Ontario universities categorized by subject, as well as information about all of the schools.

Once you’ve done some initial research and have some programs in mind, taking a look at the website of a particular university is one of the best ways to complete your research. I suggest making a spreadsheet of all the programs that interest you, which university offers them, prerequisites and any non-academic requirements so you can ensure you’re ready to apply!

Back in the day, I made sure to visit the campuses of all the universities that I was seriously considering. It’s one thing to see pictures online, but actually visiting campus and seeing the buildings and general vibe is key to really getting to know a university. It’s one thing I highly recommend all students do! I visited the TMU campus twice before I officially accepted my offer. Once was on a general campus tour and another time during an open house event. I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, so making sure that I liked Toronto and the TMU campus was important to me. TMU is always ready for visits from prospective students, whether it be a campus tour or open house. We even have a virtual tour if you can’t make it to Toronto! Keep an eye on our Future Student Events page to ensure you don’t miss out on any opportunities to visit and learn more about campus, including upcoming open houses. 

The best way to get to know the student life and experience at any university is to see what current students are saying. They’ll be able to give you their personal take on what things are like at their school. I always found that a real, personal recap or opinion of the university is the best way to gauge if a school is right for you. I love being able to share my personal experiences on our blog, and found that reading it when I was in high school helped me gain some knowledge about what the student experience at TMU was really like. I also loved watching the social media takeovers on our @ChooseTMU Instagram (external link, opens in new window)  to see what the day in the life of a university student was like. Plus, sometimes there’s opportunities to ask our Student Ambassadors your questions during our Instagram takeovers. 

When I was researching universities, I was so curious about what other people had to say about their experiences, whether it was a friend who just started university, my cousins who just graduated university or my parents and guidance counsellor who graduated… many years ago. Chatting with them and seeing what they liked or disliked about their university experience helped me think about what I wanted for myself. Did I want to stay at home or move away? What type of program did I want to do? Hearing their answers to my questions helped me think about university during my research journey.

It can be daunting researching university programs, but the outcome can be very rewarding! Good luck on your journey, I’ll be here on the blog cheering you on through it all!

Until next time, 

Jenna