Applying to university: make the most of open days - Telegraph.co.uk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/01/2014 - 03:02

If I regret one thing about the university
application process and, let’s be honest, I doubt there are many people
that regret specific aspects of this procedure, then it would be the fact
that I only attended one university open day.

In September 2006, I travelled to the University of Birmingham in the back of
a friend’s car, following a particularly heavy night. The driver, who had
been sensible enough to forgo the party, proceeded to attend a sample
lecture and a campus tour; he met with the course tutor and current
students; and generally asked all the sensible questions that led him to
make an informed decision about his university career.

I, on the other hand, spent the day laying on the grass and wondering how long
it could possibly take to decide whether the student union was close enough
to the campus accommodation.

I jest, but only slightly. I, regrettably, didn’t base my choice of
institution on any information I had gathered myself. I based it on an
overheard conversation between two peers discussing the benefits of studying
in London. I googled the university, thought it looked good, and decided to
apply. Luckily, this lack of care didn’t affect my overall experience, but
who’s to say things couldn’t have been better?

I chose my university based on the assumption that I didn’t want to live on a
campus, and I liked the sound of studying in the Capital. Had I visited
other universities, I may have come to a completely different conclusion.

Open days, as I have subsequently learnt and seen, give prospective students a
chance to really weigh up the options available and it’s important that, as
far as possible, you first visit the places where you may be spending the
next three years of your life, not to mention a vast amount of money.

While you may only just have started writing your personal statement, you will
hopefully have an idea about the course or subject you would like to study,
you may even have an idea about which university you would like to attend.

The first thing to do is get on the Internet and start searching. You can find
all university courses on the Ucas website, or you can use the Telegraph’s
University Course Finder
. Once you have compiled a list of
universities you think may suit you, you will need to whittle these down to
a realistic number, unless of course you want to spend every weekend until
January in the car, or worse, on public transport (which can quickly start
to eat into savings.)

Next, search university websites for open day dates and compile a list, making
sure to reserve your place at the open day if this is required. If you are
going by train, book your tickets as much in advance as possible, as this
could save you money – and while we are on the point, if you haven’t already
invested in a 16-25
Railcard
and plan to attend university away from your home town, buy one
now, they are worth the initial investment.

Secondly, make sure you know exactly where you are supposed to be going and
how you are going to get there. Will you need a taxi from the station? How
much will this cost? Is your prospective department on campus, or will you
need to travel elsewhere? It is quite probable that some amount of getting
lost will occur on the day – it will continue to occur for the first month
or two when you eventually arrive at university next year – but having some
idea about where you are going will mean you aren’t left in a panic trying
to find Rm B3 in the history department, 5 minutes before the sample lecture
starts.

Another key task to consider before you attend the open day is to read the
prospectus and course requirements, which can be found online. Many
questions you want to ask about the course and university will be answered
online, and, as Sophie Camfield, recruitment officer at Queen
Mary University of London
points out, open days are designed to give you
the opportunity to ask questions that wouldn't normally be answered online

“Make sure you talk to as many staff members and students as possible,” says
Sophie, “you will be spending at least 3 years of your life in this new
environment so it is really important you go and visit to be able to get a
fair and accurate idea of what it would be like.

“Talk to the current students who are at the open day, as they are your best
bet into understanding aspects of student life and what it is like moving
away from home and living as a part of the university.”

Jane Scarborough, head of student recruitment at Nottingham
Trent University (NTU)
, says that students should also consider asking
about what opportunities the university offers for work placements and
studying abroad.

"Other key areas to explore would be the course itself," she
continues. "Really understand the course content, contact hours,
assessment styles and how much guided learning is involved etc"

According to Sophie, it is worth drafting a few questions beforehand, to make
sure you don’t forgot to ask anything on the day itself.

“Ask tutors what they are looking for in an applicant, and how to make an
application stand out. Also, be sure to ask current students what they enjoy
most about their course and the student experience.”

Without wanting to focus on the negatives, it might also be worth asking if
there are any downsides to studying at a particular university. Nowhere is
going to be perfect, and it may put your mind at rest to know that the only
downside is the price of lunch in the university canteen.

At open days, universities generally have a programme of events, including
tours of the university, student union and accommodation, and sample
lectures and talks about student services. Make sure you attend as many of
these events as possible, as they are designed to give you a full insight
into life at the university. Also, be sure to take notes and photos as you
tour; these will help jog your memory two months later when you're on open
day number five.

Sophie also suggests attending open days at different types of university.

“Visit both campus and non-campus universities, city centre universities and
those based further out. Figure out which set up you like the most. If you
are looking to move away from home, it is also crucial to have a look at the
different accommodation options; do you want to live on campus, or off
campus, in private halls or university halls, catered halls or
self-catered?”

Finally, it might be worth considering whether it would be beneficial to take
parents along. It’s always worth getting a second opinion. Even travelling
with a couple of friends, as I did, means you are able to discuss – or
listen to – the benefits and disadvantages of a particularly place, and
another set of eyes may very well pick up on points you could have missed.

Open days are there to help you make the right decision about the next stage
in your academic journey. It really isn’t worth leaving this to chance.

And as Mandy Pine, development manager at NTU, points out: "If you don't
get all your questions answered on the open day itself, there is no harm
getting in contact with the university at a later date."

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