Making the Most of Open Days
So you’ve decided that you want to go to university. That’s great. You can pursue a field that you are passionate about, delve deeper into new subjects, and gain the qualifications you need for your dream career. But there are so many universities to choose from. And each one is different to the last. So how do you decide which university is the right one for you?
Visit an Open Day!
Open Days are when universities open their doors to interested students to come and have a look around. Lecturers tell you about the course in person and answer all your questions, you can see all the different academic facilities or study spaces, you will be able to visit social areas and learn about activities the university hosts, and meet current students to get their opinion on the university they chose to study at. This might be a bit overwhelming as there is so much to do and only one day to do it in. So what comes first? What’s the most important part?
Well this is where I come in to help. I’m going to list a bunch of important things to consider when attending an Open Day. It’s up to you to ultimately decide what is most important about a university. This is a very personal decision and should be influenced by your unique qualities. So everything below is a suggestion, a helpful guideline, for you to consider but don’t worry about sticking to it hard and fast.
Academic talks
I feel like academic talks should be very high up, if not too, on most Open Day to-do lists. You’re going to university to study a subject for three years (maybe more), you have to be sure that you are invested in every aspect of that course. An Open Day academic talk should give you an outline of the three year course, modules you might take, how you will be assessed, and some even include taster lessons. This might be your first deeper look into the course structure, which is important as universities often offer course that sound similar, like English Literature, but what you learn about could be vastly different depending on the institution. Make sure you find a course that caters to your specific interests.
Academic FacilitiesÂ
This one ties into my last point quite well. Alongside the course, you need to know where you will be taught. This is especially important for practical courses. Find out about the laboratories, performance spaces, art studios, or sport facilities a university has to offer as this could directly affect your learning and enjoyment of the course. State of the art facilities don’t always mean the course is right for you or the teaching will be state of the art either, but it does give you exciting opportunities to learn new things and use equipment that may not be available at other universities. If you’re interested in Art, make sure the university has studio space. If you’re a biology enthusiast, check out the laboratory. Most of these facilities are made readily viewable on Open Days, and may even be shown during the academic talk. Make sure you ask about them and understand how the facilities will alter your learning.
AccommodationÂ
This was always a huge selling point – or occasionally breaking point – when I was looking at universities to attend. Your first year accommodation is incredibly important in enjoying your time at university. Open Days may be the only time you are able to get a glimpse into student halls before you go off to university. You get to see real, lived in rooms and are often able to talk with students you live in those halls as well. You can get the important information straight from the horse’s mouth. An important note here is to see lots of accommodation and make comparisons between them. Look at flats and shared housing, view en-suite rooms and shared bathroom facilities, look at accommodation that is on campus and view inner city, off site rooms as well. Each variation has different benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, you will spend a lot of time in your student housing, with lots of your new friends, making sure you find accommodation that suits your needs can really be the icing on the cake for a university that ticks all your other boxes.
Campus Tour
This is always a great way to start your day at a university. Once you’re all signed in and set, go grab a student led campus tour and learn about the university from someone who is currently living it. This is usually a quick way to see a little bit of everything, get your bearings for the rest of the day and also to ask questions to real life university students. While a website might be able to tell you what subjects are housed in which buildings, a student led campus tour can give you information on how students really use the university facilities. You can find out which coffee shop is best, what are the quiet times in the library and what the best Students Union events are. These are the little things that will have a monumental effect on your university experience. Take note and ask lots of questions.
Student’s Union
Now this one encompasses so many things, as the Student’s Union is a part of many walks of university life. Make sure you take time to view the Union building, talk to the representatives, visit a planned talk about it and talk with real students about how they feel about the Union. The Student’s Union is something that should be ran by the students, for the students. It can be a social hub on campus that hosts a vibrant nightlife, charity events and creates volunteering opportunities. It can also run all of the extra curricula sports and societies, and should offer support for academic study, your wellbeing, and make sure you, as a unique individual, are well represented by your institution. The Student’s Union can create new social opportunities for you, allowing you to meet new people and try new things. Without a good one, you may miss out on an incredibly important part of your Higher education journey.
Closing Advice
So there you have it. A list of important elements to consider when attending a university Open Day. There are many more things that occur during an Open Day, such as accommodation talks or admission session on how to write a successful personal statement, and these are all important as well. You have to take time to decide what is important to you as an individual, but if you aren’t sure where to start, begin with my list above and go from there. Go to as many Open Days as you can manage and begin to build your own opinion on what is important. Before you know it, you will have a very clear picture of the type of institution you want to attend, and many even a short list of where to apply to.