The top ten do's:

Choose a course in a subject that you are good at

Choose a subject that you like

Research the quality and content of the course

Be realistic about your capabilities and apply to universities that match them

Consider the reputation of the universities you apply to

Visit both the university itself and the town it is located in or near, to get a feeling for the place

Find out who teaches the course and what research they have done

Find out whether, in reality, it is part-timers and postgraduates who are doing the teaching, if the core staff are busy conducting research

Find out what accommodation is available; the nicest halls get booked quickest

Consider statistics such as dropout rates and employability.

and don'ts...

Don't flunk your A-levels, clearing can be a lottery

Don't be attracted to a university just because it offers a freebie or financial incentive

Don't go to a university just because you like the location

Don't choose a vocational course unless you are 110 percent sure the career path it offers is definitely what you want

Don't undersell yourself and choose a university with lower entry grades if you can get in somewhere better

Don't think of university merely as a rite of passage

Don't underestimate how much influence your choice of course and university will have on the rest of your life

Don't choose a sexy-sounding new subject without considering whether it will have the kudos of an established one

Don't rule out university because of funding concerns

Don't put researching universities on the back burner because you are busy with coursework and exams