How to get the best from a university open day
Choosing which university is right for you isn't easy, which is why utilising university open days are essential in helping you make the right decision. Not only do open days show you exactly what is on offer but they also give you wider view than you'll find in a prospectus or online.
Key reasons to go to an open day
To see what the campus and local area are like
To gauge whether the course at this university is right for you
To speak to staff and students and ask questions you may have about the university.
To view student accommodation on offer
To go on a tour of the university
To see what kind of student support is on offer
When are open days?
Open days start in the summer and occur in the period before the UCAS application deadline. There are also open days throughout the year and after Results Day in August for those going through clearing. Check out the university website to see when this next open day is happening.
What happens on an open day?
Firstly don't worry, you won't be left wandering around alone when you arrive. All universities set up a timetable of talks and tours for would-be students and their parents. This means you'll have a planned itinerary ahead of arriving of things to do if you choose to. While you may not want to do everything, it does pay to do the crucial talks and tours such as:
Talks from the department you are consideringThe admissions talk The student ambassadors talk The university and accommodation toursUCAS and financial talk
What else should I do?
Talks and tours aside, do take time to explore the university and view it through your own eyes. This is because you need to work out if this is the best choice for you. So do take some time to see the university and area on your own to get a feel for it.
Consider:
Are all the facilities up to date? Is there a good variety of student groups on offer?Is the local area interesting? How far is the university from your home? What are the student facilities like on and off-campus?Do you get a good feeling about the local area and university?
Questions to ask the university staff
Next, be ready to ask questions to the staff leading the tours and talks. This is an integral part of any open day as it's through these questions that you will start to build up a clear picture of what life will be like at this university. Questions to ask include:
How much self-study do I need to do outside of lectures?How much tutor support will I receive each term?How is the course assessed - exams, course work - both?If I don't meet the grades, is there still a chance I could be offered a place?What careers support is there for undergraduates?How much counselling support is there for student mental health?What's in place for safety on campus?
Questions to ask student ambassadors
Equally, student ambassadors can often offer you an alternative insight that university staff can't about what attending the university as a student is like.
Good questions to ask are:
What has been the best and worst thing about university for you? Is teaching support good?Is the local area suitable for students?Is the student social life good?Are you happy with your accommodation?Are sports facilities varied?What does the student union provide?
It's always worth going to 3 or 4 open days and maybe even revisiting one before you fill in your UCAS application or choose via clearing. Remember to take notes about each open day you go to so all your open days don't merge into one.
All open days are free to attend, but places must be booked so go through the websites to check when they are happening.
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