Nancy Jiang hadn’t even considered studying in Europe before. Like many of her fellow students in China, she’d believed continuing her education in the US was the best path for her future. After one 30-minute conversation with an admissions officer at the QS Connect 1-2-1 event in Beijing, everything changed.

Now, Nancy will be heading to Barcelona, to study at ESADE Business & Law School and pursue her dream in studying business analytics. We chatted to Nancy to find out more about her QS Connect 1-2-1 experience and her hopes for her upcoming master’s course in Spain.

The QS Connect 1-2-1 offered something more than your normal university fair

“I was so thrilled to participate in the QS Connect 1-2-1 event. The QS university rankings are quite famous here in China, and I was attracted by the idea that I’d be able to talk to the admissions officers face-to-face for 30 minutes. I saw it as a great opportunity to present myself to admissions officers. As well as allowing me to get to know the schools and their resources, it would also allow the schools to get to know me better and decide if I would be a good fit.”

Having a lengthy conversation with admissions staff taught me so much about the university

“It was really pleasant to talk to Mary Granger, the admissions officer from ESADE. She was really nice and warm, and gave me some valuable recommendations based upon my previous experience. Honestly, before I attended the QS Connect 1-2-1 event and spoke to Mary, I had never thought about pursuing a master’s degree in Europe. I was aiming to apply to a top-ranked US institution, but I was really impressed by Mary and touched by her kindness. Because of this, I decided to apply to ESADE.

“My mom and dad were surprised by my decision and didn’t completely agree. So, I also applied to some US institutions. However, after I received all my offers, I still decided to choose ESADE. Barcelona is an amazing place to study in, the school has a really good global reputation and they offer really generous scholarships, but more important than all of these factors was my experience at the QS Connect 1-2-1 event.”

Attending the QS Connect 1-2-1 event made my master’s interview much easier

“I was really nervous before my master’s application interview with ESADE, especially as I didn’t know much about what to expect from a European school. The 40-minute interview was the best interview I’ve ever had though. Mary was very nice and her questions felt really tailored to my interests and the things I cared about. She asked me questions I hadn’t been asked by other admissions officers and the whole conversation felt so smooth. After the interview, I knew I wanted to be a part of ESADE and believed they wanted to have me join them too.

“I heard the good news from Mary a week later and was really excited. My parents may have had their doubts but they said I was always so excited and happy when I talked about ESADE and so they were glad to hear I was admitted.”

There’s so much to be gained from attending a QS event

I got everything out of the QS Connect 1-2-1 event I could wish for. If anyone reading this is interested in attending a similar event, I’d recommend doing some research online beforehand. Turn up with your CV/resume and make sure you have a clear idea of what your short-term and long-term goals are before the day itself. Knowing this will help the admissions officers get to know you better.

Sponsored by EDHEC

High-flying Colombian student Andrea, 29, spoke to us about her experience attending a top business school in Nice, France.

After winning the Eiffel Scholarship in 2016, I finally took the plunge and packed my bags for a lovely studious spell in the French Riviera, to study an MSc in Corporate Finance and Banking in sunny Nice. I had initially studied economics and finance at university and worked in banking for six years, because deep down I knew that moving abroad for business school was my best bet if I wanted to realize my dreams and help rejuvenate my country’s lagging economy. Knowing that EDHEC is renown for its finance programs, it didn’t take me very long to choose my business school.
Of course, it’s been trying, and I’ve had to clear a few hurdles, but I have no regrets. Here’s why.

1. I know that I’ll be using everything I’ve learnt throughout my career

Unlike many of my friends already working in business who’ve had to submit a theory-heavy thesis for university, everything I’m learning at business school will come in handy when I’m working. Currently, I’m working on a master’s project which, unlike the academic research theses that are mandatory in most business schools, will actually help me learn things that I’ll be using later in my career. Working with a group of students, I’m building sell side financial analysis of the American restaurant chain Domino’s Pizza, which is fascinating.

2. The cultural immersion is amazing

One of the best things about business school abroad is that it forces you out of your comfort zone and introduces you to a cross-section of highly talented people you’d never have met otherwise. I am lucky to have built very close friendships with lovely people who’ve helped me grow as a person intellectually and emotionally. Because of them, my weekends and life in Nice outside of the classroom are ten times more enjoyable.

3. I fell in love with Nice’s seafront, lovely terracotta Matisse museum and little bistros…

Obviously, I didn’t decide to attend business school in France just to sightsee, but while in la Côte d'Azur, I thought I may as well indulge. From personal experience, I’d strongly recommend to seize any opportunity to study abroad in this utterly magnificent region of France because it’ll take your breath away. I’m fortunate that my campus is right in the middle of Nice and just off the world-famous Promenade des Anglais by the seafront, where I often have my lunch with coursemates. EDHEC have campuses in Lille and Paris - they’re definitely on my bucket list of cities to visit.

4. Business school is my golden ticket to a dream job

Back in Bogotá, I studied economics and finance at Universidad del Rosario, then moved into risk management for Colombia’s third largest bank, Banco Davivienda. To break into corporate fiscal management, I knew that I needed to to acquire technical knowledge in corporate finance to complement my knowledge in financial markets, financial risks and assets and liability management.
I applied to business school because I was genuinely interested in applying theory to real business cases, and knew only a business school could provide the services and support network needed to help fulfill my goal. I was right, at EDHEC all the courses I took demanded real business case studies. When looking at business schools, EDHEC stood out because their graduates frequently move into sustainable finance jobs for incredible recruiters I aspire to work for one day, like the International Monetary Fund, the International Finance Corporation or the World Bank. While I’m here, I can make use of the school’s alumni department and various student associations to build my professional network and improve my job prospects.

5. I’m gaining all the soft skills I’d need to work anywhere

Unlike a university course, business school has given me unique opportunities to develop the soft skills I need for a career in business, like pitching and team work in a multicultural environment. Due to the international nature of my school, I’ve also had to study business cases in China, India and other places to understand how some of the things I’m learning might translate abroad. I’ve also learnt how to become more tactful when dealing with different cultures and am able to understand English spoken with accents from around the world, which, all joking aside, is a vital skill…

6. One day, I hope to help rebuild Colombia’s economy from the ground up

Colombia has endured one of the longest civil wars in history – a conflict which has displaced millions –but, thank God, it looks like things are finally getting better now. In 2016, the revolutionary armed forces of Colombia and the Colombian government signed a promising peace deal, after fifty years of treacherous civil war.

In the years to come, Colombia will need fresh ideas and bright young minds to stand a chance of healing and developing. That’s why I hope to help inject new life into its economy one day, using all the new skills and insight I’ll have gained during my time in France.

7. I’m learning French, and hopefully I’ll be fluent soon.

My course was fully taught in English, but thanks to the free French language lessons offered by my business school and life outside of my MSc, I’ve been able to learn some French. From watching TV in French to ordering restaurant meals in French, I’m still working on doing my best to improve my French language skills, but I’m confident that I’ll be fluent in no time. Wherever I end up working, whether in Colombia, France or elsewhere, I’m certain that my language skills will benefit both me and my employer.

One of the quickest ways to cut down the cost of attending university in the US is to stay in-state rather than travelling further afield to study. While this might not always be an option, the majority of US students interested in engineering should be able to find a high-performing in-state university to attend.

Over half the states in America are home to at least one university which is ranked for engineering in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017. Whether it’s Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical or Mineral Engineering you’re interested in, you can hopefully apply to a leading institution that’s close to home. Here’s our state-by-state rundown of the best university for each branch of engineering in each US state.

Arizona

Chemical Engineering: Arizona State University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Arizona State University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Arizona State University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Arizona State University
Mineral & Mining Engineering: University of Arizona

It’s nearly a clean sweep in the field of engineering for Arizona State University, which is the best university in Arizona for four out of five subjects. Of the four, it’s ranked highest for electrical & electronic engineering: it’s the joint 28^th best university in the whole country for this subject. The University of Arizona pips their rivals in just one subject, mineral & mining, for which it’s ranked as the third-best university in the country (and 13^th in the whole world).

California

Chemical Engineering: Stanford University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of California, Berkeley
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Stanford University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Stanford University

Let’s get the bad news out of the way to start with: there are no Californian universities included in the QS ranking for mineral & mining engineering. While this doesn’t mean no institutions in the state offer this as a course, it does mean you might have to widen your search to out-of-state universities if you want a high-quality education.

The other four engineering disciplines are split evenly between Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley, although you could arguably go to either for each of the four different subjects. Impressively, both universities are included in the global top 10 for all four subjects.

Colorado

Chemical Engineering: University of Colorado Boulder (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Colorado Boulder
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Colorado Boulder
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Colorado Boulder
Mineral & Mining Engineering: Colorado School of Mines

As you might have guessed from their name, Colorado School of Mines is a great place to study mineral & mining engineering. It’s not just the best university for the subject in Colorado, it’s also the best in the world. All the other four branches of engineering are dominated by the University of Colorado Boulder, though it performs best for civil and structural engineering where it’s ranked joint 23rd in the US.

Connecticut

Chemical Engineering: Yale University (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Yale University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Yale University

Only three branches of engineering are represented in the state of Connecticut, with Yale University proving to be the highest-ranked university for chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering. Of the three, Yale is ranked highest for chemical engineering: it’s the 23rd best university in the world for this subject.

Delaware

Chemical Engineering: University of Delaware (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Delaware
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Delaware

Delaware is also only represented in the rankings for three of the five branches of engineering, and, as with Connecticut, it’s one university which is placed highest for all three. The University of Delaware is ranked joint 18th in the US for chemical engineering, joint 64th in the US for electrical engineering and joint 60th in the US for mechanical engineering.

Florida

Chemical Engineering: University of Florida (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Florida
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Florida
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Florida

The University of Florida is the only place to be in the Sunshine State if you’re interested in engineering, as it ranks highest for four of the five engineering subjects (no Florida universities are included in the ranking for mineral & mining engineering). Of the four subjects, it’s ranked highest for civil & structural engineering, for which it’s the joint 23rd best university in the US.

Georgia

Chemical Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology isn’t just the best university for most engineering branches in the state of Georgia, it’s one of the best universities for engineering in the world. The university is ranked 12^th in the world for mechanical, aeronautical & manufacturing engineering, 16^th in the world for electrical & electronic engineering, 17^th in the world for civil & structural engineering and 20^th in the world for chemical engineering.

Illinois

Chemical Engineering: Northwestern University
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (pictured below) 
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mineral & Mining Engineering: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Northwestern University is the one hold-out, depriving the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign of an engineering clean sweep. In all four of the subjects the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is the best in the state, it’s ranked in the top 30 in the world. Northwestern is joint 24th in the world for chemical engineering.

Indiana

Chemical Engineering: Purdue University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Purdue University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Purdue University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Purdue University

Purdue University is the best place to study engineering in Indiana, and is ranked in the top 50 in the world for each of the four engineering subjects listed above. Of the four, it’s ranked highest for mechanical, aeronautical & manufacturing engineering, for which it’s 20^th in the world and 9^th in the US.

Iowa

Chemical Engineering: Iowa State University (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Iowa State University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Iowa State University and University of Iowa

Iowa universities are only ranked for three branches of engineering in the latest subject rankings, so any Iowa residents interested in civil or mineral engineering may need to look out-of-state. Iowa State University is the outright best university for both chemical and electrical engineering, while it shares the honor with the University of Iowa for mechanical engineering. For this, both universities are ranked joint 49^th in the US.

Maryland

Chemical Engineering: Johns Hopkins University
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Maryland, College Park (pictured below) 
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Maryland, College Park
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Johns Hopkins University

Two Maryland universities share the spoils when it comes to being the best institution for engineering in the state. Johns Hopkins University comes out on top for chemical engineering and mechanical engineering, while the University of Maryland, College Park is the best place to study civil engineering and electrical engineering. In each of the four cases, the top Maryland university is ranked in the top 25 in the US for that subject.

Massachusetts

Chemical Engineering: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

No surprises here, as M.I.T. dominates the engineering rankings in practically every way possible. M.I.T. isn’t just the best university in Massachusetts for these subjects, or just the best university in the US. It’s actually ranked number one in the entire world. So yeah, there’s genuinely nowhere better to study.

Michigan

Chemical Engineering: University of Michigan (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Michigan
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Michigan
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Michigan
Mineral & Mining Engineering: Michigan Technological University

The University of Michigan has a fantastic reputation for engineering, as shown by its domination of four of the five branches of the subject covered in our rankings. For each of these, the university is considered to be among the top 50 in the world (its highest ranking is for mechanical engineering, for which it’s sixth in the world). Michigan Technological University makes the ranking for its mineral and mining engineering course, which is the 37^th best in the world and the sixth best in the US.

Minnesota

Chemical Engineering: University of Minnesota (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Minnesota
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Minnesota
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota is best in the state in four of the different engineering subjects, but it’s in chemical engineering that the university really excels. The university’s course is ranked the joint 17^th best in the world and the seventh best in the US. Other rankings aren’t quite as impressive, but are all within the top 30 in the US.

Missouri

Chemical Engineering: Washington University in St Louis (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Washington University in St Louis
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Washington University in St Louis

Only three branches of engineering are covered by Missouri universities according to the latest subject rankings. While students interested in civil or mineral engineering may have to look elsewhere, Washington University in St Louis is the perfect destination for anyone interested in the other three branches of engineering. Of the three, the university is ranked highest for chemical engineering (joint 31^st in the US).

New Hampshire

Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Dartmouth College (pictured below)

New Hampshire is far from the best university to be in if you’re interested in engineering, but at least Dartmouth College prevents the state from missing out entirely. The college’s electrical engineering course is ranked 57^th in the US.

New Jersey

Chemical Engineering: Princeton University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Princeton University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Princeton University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Princeton University

Princeton University is the only place to be in New Jersey from an engineering perspective. It’s ranked impressively high too, with the university’s chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering courses all considered to be among the best 50 in the world. Of these, chemical engineering is ranked the highest (12^th in the world, and fifth in the US).

New Mexico

Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of New Mexico (pictured below)

University of New Mexico provides the state’s only engineering course of note, and is ranked joint 64^th in the country for its electrical and electronic engineering course.

New York

Chemical Engineering: Cornell University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Cornell University and Columbia University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Columbia University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Cornell University

Cornell and Columbia share the spoils in New York, quite literally so in the case of civil engineering where nothing separates the two universities (both are ranked joint 11^th in the US). In each of the other three subjects, the top university in the state is also ranked among the best 50 in the world.

North Carolina

Chemical Engineering: North Carolina State University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: North Carolina State University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: North Carolina State University and Duke University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Duke University

Depending on the branch of engineering you’re interested in, you’ll either be considering studying at North Carolina State or Duke. Of the two, North Carolina State has the edge as it’s best in North Carolina for both chemical and civil engineering, as well as sharing the title of best for electrical engineering with Duke. However, Duke University can boast of being the only university in the state with an engineering course considered to be in the top 100 in the world. The university is ranked higher for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering than North Carolina State is for any of the other subjects.

Ohio

Chemical Engineering: Ohio State University (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Ohio State University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Ohio State University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Ohio State University

Ohio State University is the place to be in Ohio to study engineering, and is ranked in the top 100 for three of the four engineering subjects listed above (chemical, electrical and mechanical). Of these, it performs best in the US for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering, for which Ohio State is ranked as the joint 17^th best in the country.

Oklahoma

Chemical Engineering: University of Oklahoma (pictured below)
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma is only represented as a state in two engineering subjects: chemical and mechanical. In both cases, the University of Oklahoma takes the prize, ranking the highest for chemical engineering (joint 40^th in the US).

Pennsylvania

Chemical Engineering: University of Pennsylvania (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: Carnegie Mellon University and Pennsylvania State University
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Carnegie Mellon University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Carnegie Mellon University
Mineral & Mining Engineering: Pennsylvania State University

A clean sweep of engineering subjects for Pennsylvania, with three different universities sharing the honor of providing the best engineering courses. The University of Pennsylvania is the best in the state for just one subject, chemical engineering, for which it’s ranked an impressive 41^st in the world. Even more impressive is the position of Pennsylvania State University in the mineral engineering ranking: Penn State is fourth in the world. Penn State share the title of best for civil engineering with Carnegie Mellon University, the latter of which is the outright best university for electrical and mechanical engineering. In both cases, Carnegie Mellon is ranked in the top 50 in the world.

Rhode Island

Chemical Engineering: Brown University (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Brown University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Brown University

Students interested in civil or mineral engineering may have to look somewhere other than Rhode Island to study, but, for the other three engineering subjects, Brown University can’t be beaten. Of the three, it performs best for mechanical engineering, for which it’s ranked in the top 100 in the world and joint 17^th in the US.

South Carolina

Chemical Engineering: University of South Carolina (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of South Carolina
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Clemson University

South Carolina may not be the first state you think of when looking for a top engineering degree but both the University of South Carolina and Clemson University are worth considering for certain subjects. Clemson University is the highest-ranked university in the state for mechanical engineering and is also joint 60^th in the country. Of the two subjects for which the University of South Carolina is the best-performing, it is ranked highest for chemical engineering (joint 40^th in the US).

Tennessee

Chemical Engineering: Vanderbilt University (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville are the two shining lights for engineering in Tennessee. Of the three engineering subjects mentioned above, the best ranking is for Vanderbilt in the chemical engineering ranking. Vanderbilt is ranked joint 39^th in the country for this subject.

Texas

Chemical Engineering: University of Texas at Austin (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Texas at Austin
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Texas at Austin
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin has an impressive reputation for engineering, and it shows in our rankings where the university is included in the world’s top 30 universities for four different subjects. Of these, the highest ranking is for civil engineering, for which it’s ranked 20^th in the world and sixth in the US.

Utah

Chemical Engineering: University of Utah (pictured below)
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Brigham Young University
Mineral & Mining Engineering: University of Utah

Although there are three engineering subject rankings which feature a Utah university, one stands heads and shoulders above the others in terms of reputation and performance. The University of Utah’s mineral engineering course is the joint 18^th best in the world and fourth best in the US. The next best performer is Brigham Young University for mechanical engineering (it’s ranked joint 50^th in the world).

Virginia

Chemical Engineering: University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Civil & Structural Engineering: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (pictured below)
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Mineral & Mining Engineering: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

All five engineering subject rankings feature a Virginian university with the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University achieving a near-perfect clean sweep. The university is the outright best in four of the five subjects, and shares the title of best in the state for chemical engineering with the University of Virginia. Apart from chemical engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is ranked in the world’s top 100 for each subject.

Washington

Chemical Engineering: University of Washington (pictured below)
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Washington
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Washington
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Washington

There’s only one place to be in Washington if you’re interested in studying engineering, and that’s the University of Washington. Of the four, it’s ranked highest for civil engineering (joint 11^th in the US) and lowest for mechanical engineering (joint 30^th in the US).

Washington D.C.

Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: George Washington University (pictured below)

District of Colombia residents may need to look further afield for somewhere to study engineering. George Washington University is the only university located there to achieve an impressive ranking in the five engineering subjects. It’s ranked joint 60^th in the country for mechanical engineering.

Wisconsin

Chemical Engineering: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Civil & Structural Engineering: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Electrical & Electronic Engineering: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Four of the five engineering subject rankings see a placing for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but, of these, one is by far and away the most impressive. The university is ranked 14^th in the world and sixth in the country for chemical engineering.

Everywhere else

Can’t find your state in this list? Unfortunately, no universities from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming managed to make it into the most recent engineering subject rankings. If you’re a resident of any of these states, you’ll probably want to consider out-of-state options if you’re interested in studying engineering.

A new website has launched to help students find out how to vote tactically in the upcoming UK general election.

#GE2017 lets students compare their uni towns and home address to figure out which of the two constituencies is more likely to be an electoral battleground.

Why is this important? As most students are likely to be registered at two addresses (home and uni), they might be able to cast their vote in a marginal seat rather than a Tory or Labour stronghold.

For example, a Cambridge student from the Isle of Wight, a conservative safe seat, might want to vote in their uni town because it’s a swing seat, and so their vote will have more impact.

To decide whether a seat is safe, #Ge2017 factors in the results of the 2015 general election, EU referendum results, local betting odds, student demographic and changes in results over time.

The nonpartisan initiative was launched by the online journalism firm Explaain in partnership with the youth-led movement Bite the Ballot to educate and encourage 18-to-24-year-olds to take part in politics.

Have you ever wondered what student life at the University of Cambridge is like? On the Facebook page Overheard in Cambridge, students have been sharing the funny or frankly weird things they’ve heard (or sometimes overseen) at Cambridge. Here’s a selection of the funniest things overheard by some of the cleverest students in the world.

1. Apparently Cambridge students are pretty well-to-do…

2. This Cambridge student finds memes particularly meaningful

3. Coursework? Dissertation? This overheard Cambridge student isn’t going to sacrifice their social life…

4. Others aren’t coping quite so well with this busy exam period…

5. Strangely enough, this study tactic didn’t work

6. Cambridge students find puzzled tourists quite amusing...

*Spoons = Wetherspoons, a chain of pubs in the UK.

7. Technology can only go so far for some international Cambridge students…

8. The overheard student must be really enjoying their dissertation

9. When a software program is ruining your relationship…

10. And finally, this Cambridge student certainly doesn’t have confidence issues

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