UCAS - University open day advice

University open day advice

It's important to head to university open days armed with questions.

If you're still choosing which university you want to study at or have already figured it out, university open days and local higher education conventions are great events to attend to find out more.

You'll be able to find out details of open days here and on universities' websites, while higher education conventions are listed here.

While the conventions are great for learning about a particular course and what's on offer at a university from the staff who work there, open days provide an insight that is hard to beat.

Whichever you attend, you should go armed with some questions, or at least an idea of what areas you want to know more about.

The University of West London, which is holding an undergraduate open day on Novmeber 19th, explains on its website: "This is your best opportunity to ask us questions about the university and your course before you submit your application.

"At the open day you will get the chance to speak to academic staff including heads of school, current students and representatives from our support services."

Think about the course you plan to study. Requirements and content can be found out online via Entry Profiles and the university's own site. Open days are the chance to glean extra info on these and more. For example, you should have a look around the university library and talk to current students about what the course is all about.

Going beyond the course, you should use open days to find out about sports clubs, social life, societies, cultural events and all the other aspects of higher education.

Accommodation is another thing to consider. Photographs on a website are all well and good, but nothing beats actually visiting the halls of residence to see what they are really like. Transport links also need to be thought through.

If you are disabled, open days can prove particularly useful. You'll be able to establish exactly what support is provided and how the university will accommodate your needs.

One useful website to find out when open days are taking place is opendays.com. They also have some good advice to prospective students: "Make sure you choose a university for the right reasons for yourself, as you are the one who will spend the time there.

"They all seem to have good points, so an open day is the best way to get a gut feeling about how you would like it; all students will tell you that their university is the best, simply because everyone has a great time and so will you."

If you can't make an open day, don't fear, as you can always arrange a visit yourself. "Don't be afraid to contact a university to find out more – this shows interest and commitment," John Wheeler, admissions tutor at Staffordshire University, told the Guardian recently. He added: "Many universities make a record of personal contact, and may use it in their decision-making. We want applicants to show that they've really thought about the course – this can come through in the application form, at open days or through personal contact."

2011-11-14

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