OK so I began looking at universities a while ago now because I decided I wanted to study Maths.

I think the most useful starting point is looking at the UCAS website ( www.ucas.com ) which is also where you complete your application. On this site you can search for what course you want to and get a list of universities which offer that course. You don't want to fall in love with a university and then find out it doesn't offer your course!!

Then decide whether you want a campus or a city university. A campus university is all based on one site with buildings and facilities and accomodation all close by. You tend to mix with mainly other students here. Whereas in a city university the buildings are more spread out and you mix a lot more with the public.

If you think a campus university is right for you, try looking at these:

Warwick University
Durham University
Lancaster University
York University

particularly liked the first two.

If you think a city university is more your style then try looking at:

Manchester University
Manchester Metropolitan
Leeds University
Sheffield University
Bath University

The next thing you need to consider is what grades you need to get in. If you're certain to get 3 As in your A-levels (or equivalent) then maybe look at:
Cambridge University
Oxford University
Imperial University

and some London Universities.

If you aren't quite so lucky then make sure you check out the entry requirements which are all on the UCAS website.

When making your choices, you get to apply to five universities. If you want to make sure you get a place then apply to universities with different requirements. For example these were the grades I needed for my 5 applications:

AAA
AAB
AAB
ABB
ABB

because nobody can be certain about what grades they're going to get unless they're applying after a gap year and already have their results..

Once you've come up with a list of possibilites...up to 10 is sensible to begin with....

Order prospectuses by visiting the universities' official websites.
Prospectuses are free and are sent in the post.

They will tell you all you need to know about your course, your accomodation and lots more. They contain images etc which is great when you're deciding what you'd like.

Then when you've got your selection down to 6 or 7 you should go to the university open days which start as early as March in the year before you would be going and last through to November.
If you want to make sure you're organised visit them early to give you time to go back if you're not sure.

Next, get a massive piece of paper and write down the good and bad things about each place. Write down what really matters to you. If you have any queries contact the universities via their websites and they'll be happy to help.
By now you should have a rough idea of where you want to apply and which universities you really liked.

Remember once you have your five choices you don't need to make your final decision for approximately 6 months so don't worry too much!!

Now just focus on your application! You've spent all this time deciding where to apply....don't ruin it by sending a rubbish application and not getting a place anywhere you want. It's 3+ years of your life. It doesn't matter about statistics as long as you feel happy there.