Study – the facts: 10 of the best

Where and what to study is one of the biggest – and most difficult – decisions you'll ever make. What subject? At what level? And where?

Welcome to "10 of the Best", Farmers Weekly’s guide to help you if you’re looking to get your mitts on an agriculture or agriculturally-related qualification.

It was a tough choice picking the 10 (we’re well aware there are many other great places that could have made the list) so tell us all about the other educational establishments you think we should have included, as well as the pros and cons of each. Basically, if you think another college or uni warrants more of a shout then, well, just shout...

We also want to hear whether you agree or disagree with the comments we’ve made, so there are lots of ways that current and past students and staff can share information, give opinions and post reviews.

A good starting point is on our forums – if you post a question on this thread we encourage students and staff of the particular college or uni to respond to your query.

A word from Sarah Todd

Working on this list of the crème de le crème of places to study agriculture made me think one thing, says reporter Sarah Todd, who compiled this feature. Oh, to be 18 again…

With the furore over tuition fees, it would be in bad taste to say that students have never had it so good.

However, millions have been pumped into improvements at the majority of colleges. It’s also refreshing that many are still turning out people who - whether or not they go on to get an office-based job - can lamb a ewe, milk a cow, reverse a tractor and tell whether a crop of wheat needs spraying or not.

It was hard for me, being from Yorkshire, not to see either Bishop Burton or Askham Bryan on this list.

As a horse rider, I fell in love with the images of Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, and the omission of Reading University has been on my conscience.

I do hope you’ll join the debate and tell us about your favourites. I certainly reckon there’ll be plenty of scope for a follow up article in FW.