One great thing about being a student is the vast variety of choices universities now provide. However, deciding which university to go to can be a huge decision which has a considerable impact on your future. A large amount of research needs to be done - open days are a vital aspect of this. There are well over 100 universities in the UK alone. Some are specialist, some campus-based, some in the city, some offering different opportunities and so much more. There’s also an enormous variety of study abroad options too. Narrowing down your choices is an incredibly difficult thing to do.
So how do you go about doing this? The internet is always a great starting point. Through using sites such as UCAS, The Student Room and the universities’ own websites you can already gain a great deal of information quick and easily. Always remember a university is there to advertise, so research past alumni’s opinions about their experiences there. Find out about opportunities available, such as study abroad, internships and scholarships. Find out about the specifics of the courses you are interested in and how they differ from each other. There is only so much you will be able to gain through the web. You will never gain the true character and feel of a university without going to visit. Fortunately, open days exist to help you with this.
What is the purpose of a University Open Day? A university open day is a day in which the university will invite prospective students to come and look around and gather information. Here you are able to look at facilities, such as accommodation, libraries, lecture and seminar rooms and the general vibe of the place. You are also likely to have the chance to meet staff and current students, ask questions, find out about extra-curricular life and the study programme.
Attending a University Open Day? It is possible that your school or college will organise a trip for you to the open day, meaning you will only need to put your name down and pay some transport costs. If you are a mature student or are interested in different universities you will need to research further in advance. Check the university website early to find out about dates. This allows you time to prepare your travel and arrange for anybody who wishes to to come with you.
What to do When You Arrive? The key starting point is to find out more information about the programmes you are interested in. Although you may love the university, if the course is not right for you then it probably is not your best choice. Talk to the students at the uni as much as possible. They will be able to give you a very detailed description of what the course is like, what they enjoy and what they perhaps do not enjoy so much. Find out whether it fits your interests and tastes and provides the experiences you wish to extract from university. It’s also very important to talk to course directors and teaching staff to gain some insight as to how the course will be run, taught and assessed. After this, if the course sounds like something you would be interested in and would enjoy, make sure the other features work for you as well. This includes accommodation, libraries, cafés, shops and importantly, the nightlife. Also find out whether there are any societies/clubs you would be interested in. Also find out about the surrounding area such as the local town/city and its amenities.
Where Do You Find Out About Open Days? The easiest way is to check out our open days calendar - http://www.timeforuni.com/open-days . You can also visit individual universities' websites. They will all be advertising extensively in order to gain as much interest as they can, so finding the information that you need is not going to be difficult. UCAS also has information about open days on their website. You could also talk to your school's career adviser who is likely to have information on them all as well. If you have any questions just phone the university and ask them.
Studying Abroad Open days in the United Kingdom are never too difficult or expensive to organise. If you have a keen interest in studying abroad then you have a slightly more difficult time but there is plenty of information available.
A great starting point is visiting the ‘QS World University Tour’ or ‘World Grad School Tour’. This brings universities from across the world to venues in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the Middle East. This will allow you to meet people sent from the universities from different countries all in one day. Therefore plan ahead any and all questions you wish to get answered, and gather as much information as possible.
