Most shortlists are built backwards. A family starts with the names they know, adds a few that friends mentioned, and stops when the list feels long enough. The result looks ambitious and is quietly fragile.
Start with the course
Admissions tutors read for fit with a subject. A student who can say why Economics at one university differs from Economics at another is already ahead of most applicants.
Read the first-year modules for every course on the list. Check the admissions test and its date. Note the typical offer, and the real one. Visit, or at least watch the open day.
Balance the list
We aim for two ambitious choices, two realistic ones and one the student would be genuinely happy to attend. The last is the hardest to choose and the most important.
Sleep on it
Lists made in a single evening rarely survive. Put it aside, talk about it at dinner, and come back to it. The names that still feel right after a week are the ones worth keeping.
