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Around one in three undergraduates say they would make different higher education choices if they were deciding again.

The finding comes from a recent national study led by the University of Bristol, HEPI and Advance HE. Most still believe going to university was the right decision- the difficulty is choosing what and where.

That statistic stayed with me because it challenges one of the assumptions that tends to sit behind conversations about university preparation.

Parents frequently ask whether their child should complete an EPQ, undertake work experience, continue with Gold DofE or take part in a particular programme or activity. The discussion is usually framed around how to build a stronger application.

Yet if a significant number of students later wish they had chosen a different course, a different university, or both, perhaps the more important consideration is whether those experiences help young people make better-informed decisions before they apply.

For students applying through UCAS from the 2026 entry cycle onwards, the traditional personal statement has been replaced by three structured questions:

The change was introduced for applications submitted from September 2025. UCAS describes these as "scaffolding questions", designed to make the process more accessible and help students understand the information universities and colleges want to know about them.

The overall character limit remains unchanged and UCAS has been clear that the content students are expected to cover remains broadly the same.

The three questions are striking for another reason. They focus on motivation, preparation and reflection. Students are being asked to explain why they want to study a subject, how they have prepared for it and what they have learned from experiences along the way. In that sense, the questions act as a useful prompt. They encourage students to think carefully about how they arrived at their chosen course, what has influenced their thinking and how confident they are in the decisions they are making.

Given that around one in three undergraduates say they would make different higher education choices if deciding again, that feels particularly relevant.

The Bristol study is not the only piece of research that points in this direction.

UCAS's Project Next Generation report found that only a small minority of young people felt they knew a lot about the options available to them after school or college. At the same time, 97% believed direct experience was important for university, apprenticeships or employment, yet only 39% had accessed any.

The report identifies several ways experience helps young people navigate important decisions. It can build confidence, test assumptions, confirm interests, reduce uncertainty and help students understand what different pathways look like in practice.

Students are often making decisions about subjects, careers and future pathways before they have had meaningful exposure to many of them. A prospectus can explain what a course covers. An open day can provide a snapshot of university life. Neither can fully replicate the insight gained from exploring a subject in depth, speaking to people already working in a field, or experiencing an environment first-hand.

Students do not all need the same experiences.

The aim is not to accumulate activities. It is to replace assumptions with evidence.

Sometimes that process confirms an existing interest. Sometimes it challenges one.

Both outcomes have value.

In many cases, ruling out an option before making a university application may be every bit as valuable as confirming that it is the right path.

One encouraging aspect of this picture is that meaningful opportunities do not have to be expensive.

Universities, professional bodies and widening participation organisations such as the Sutton Trust offer a wide range of free lectures, outreach programmes, summer schools and subject-specific events. Platforms such as UniTasterDays and Springpod help students discover opportunities, while Coursera, FutureLearn and edX provide access to free online learning from universities around the world.

Volunteering, part-time work, school societies, employer talks, competitions and local community organisations can be equally valuable.

Opportunities are not usually the problem. Choosing the ones most likely to help a particular student explore their interests and gain a clearer understanding of their options

This is why I find debates about whether an EPQ, DofE or work experience is "worth it" slightly unsatisfying.

There is no universal answer.

A student completing an EPQ in aerospace engineering may discover that they genuinely enjoy independent research and technical problem-solving. Another may find that they prefer applying knowledge in practical settings.

A work experience placement might confirm a long-held ambition. Equally, it might reveal that a profession is not what a student imagined from university websites, social media or careers talks. That outcome should not be seen as a disappointment. It is often exactly the sort of insight these experiences are intended to provide.

Volunteering can develop confidence and communication skills, but it can also provide valuable insight into sectors and careers. A student helping in a care home may gain a far clearer understanding of healthcare than they could from reading a course description. A student volunteering with a conservation project may discover that environmental science is far more interesting in practice than it appeared on paper.

The same principle applies to university lectures, online courses, competitions, employer insight programmes, subject societies, outreach activities and countless other opportunities.

The activity is only part of the story. What a student understands afterwards is what counts.

When parents ask me whether an opportunity is worth pursuing, I usually find myself coming back to three considerations:

The specific activity matters less than what a student takes away from it.

If an opportunity is unlikely to deepen understanding, provide useful insight or help a student make a more informed decision, it may simply not be the best use of their time.

No activity can guarantee that a student will choose the right course or university. The Bristol research suggests that many still look back and wonder whether they would have made different choices.

What opportunities beyond the classroom can do is help students develop a more realistic understanding of their options and make more informed decisions before those choices are made. An EPQ may confirm an academic interest. Work experience may challenge a career ambition. A university lecture might introduce a topic that changes how a student thinks about a subject. Volunteering can provide exposure to people, environments and realities that are difficult to appreciate from a prospectus alone.

Parents often ask which activities universities value most. In reality, the most worthwhile experiences are usually the ones that help a young person understand themselves, their interests and their options more clearly. Some experiences reinforce a student's plans. Others prompt them to reconsider.

Choosing a course or university will always involve uncertainty. The most useful opportunities are often those that reduce it before an application is submitted.

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