There are plenty of Open Days on offer during October and November, here are some Top Tips for what to consider before you attend!
1. Plan your day
This goes without saying, there’s so many different things going on during an open day having an action plan to make sure you don’t miss out on anything is useful!
2. Attend a taster for your subject
Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, so take the opportunity to talk to the lecturers and find out exactly what the course at that uni entails. Remember, different institutions teach the same course in different ways, so there may be some differences.
3. Talk to current students
Current students are the best people to talk to as they’re living the experience right now. They’ll be able to give you the most up to date information on what it likes to study there.
4. Have prepared questions
The best way I found to learn about each university was to ask questions at open days! How many contact hours is the course? Do you feel at home here? Is it easy to find your way around?
5. Attend a campus tour (in person or virtually)
These are put on by the university to show you all the important features of the campus. These are only available at certain times and often need to be booked.
6. Find out about the SU & the social life
The Students Union is where most clubs and societies meet and where most social events will take place, so definitely pay a visit here and find out what’s typically on offer.
7. Campus facilities (gym, restaurants, lecture theatres)
Does the university have everything you need? Is there a gym, a bar, and a restaurant, what are the lecture theatres like? All these questions can be answered on the day and you can see them firsthand.
8. Does it have the right extras for you?
Is there a particular sports team or society you’re interested in joining? Make sure there’s one there and talk to the current members so you can see what’s involved.
9. View the accommodation
This is where you’ll be staying for at least a year so make sure you can see yourself living there! This was an important factor for me when choosing a university and actually changed my decision for a firm choice!
10. The location and surrounding area
Do you want to be in a city? Town? Or based on a campus university. Find out more about the local area and if you can, visit, and see how the surrounding area feels.
Article by Jonny Barker, GM Higher Graduate Advisor
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