WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

University Open Days are an unmissable event if you really want to get a realistic idea of what a College has to offer. Universities across the country will be opening their doors over the coming weeks, ready to welcome potential new students. Follow our guide to making the most of your visit to campus.

DO

• Plan and prepare.  How are you getting there? How long will it take and can you pre-book transport so there’s no last minute mad dash? Universities put a lot of effort into ensuring their Open Days run smoothly so do make sure you arrive on time, ready to be dazzled.
• Attend at least 1 or 2 subject talks for your child’s chosen course. This will give you both invaluable insight into the current lecturers, their teaching style and how they engage a crowd. Are they talking at you or have you hanging on their every word?
• Take the tours around campus. What are the facilities like, are they worn and dated? Pay particular attention to the ‘feel’ of a place, can your child imagine themselves there? That includes a visit to the library, tech lab and student union, all places where they are likely to be spending their time.
• Ask questions – lots of them! This is your chance to really understand what a course and college has to offer. What does a week’s attendance look like? How many hours of lectures? How is the course assessed – Exams vs Coursework and what would your child prefer. Crucially – they can spend some time chatting to current students. Would they recommend the course?
• Find out any extras the course might offer. This includes industry accreditation’s, guest lecturers, industry placements or even field trips.

DON’T

• Go overboard! Times Higher Education suggests you choose 4 or 5 Universities to visit, most importantly narrowing down your choice by expected grades and how far away from home your child is prepared to go. Any more and you may all start to feel overwhelmed. There is of course the opportunity to re-visit any places you are unsure of.
• Leave empty handed. Make sure you have a copy of the course prospectus and take lots of pictures of your time there. If you are visiting lots of campuses they may all start to blur into one, so pictures are a good reminder of campus facilities and feel.
• Rush it. This could potentially be where your child takes their first steps into adulthood and it has to be the right fit. So, ensure you get to view college accommodation and even sample the food sold on campus. If it’s a campus based University, spend the day there walking the grounds. If not, take a trip into town to discover how safe it feels and what it has to offer. Crucially, enjoy this one on one time with your child before they leave the nest.
• Wing It. Why not speak to our  Head of Client Management Kate Fensterstock to arrange a potential Roadmap, our bespoke strategic and time specific plan for achieving academic and extracurricular goals.

For a full list of University Open Days visit the Ucas Website