The Coursefindr Guide To Open Days
An open day is your first chance to get a real feel of a university, to see what they offer and what the whole thing looks like before choosing where, exactly, to apply for. As such, it’s a pretty big deal. You should know that and the university definitely knows that, so they’ll be intent on showing off as much as humanly possible. This is like a blind date and they’re the ones that should be trying hard, so play hard-to-get, if you like, and remember that while they want you, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make a good impression, too.
There are a lot of things to check out when attending a university open day; the facilities, staff, how well-prepared they are, the quality of the free sandwiches, the state of the union, how tired the students look… a lot. So we’ve knocked up a quick guide for you so you know what to look for and how to tell if a university’s made a good first impression. You’re welcome.
First Impressions
This is the big one – your first impressions of a university will have a big effect on whether or not you apply there; whether we tell you they are or not. Remember, it’s like a date, and the first impression you get of the university is likely to stick with you throughout your day. Make sure, though, to be careful with this one – that your first impression isn’t everything. It’s not really the university’s fault if it happens to be raining that day, or if you get attacked in the street by an urban fox. Although in that case, maybe you should consider somewhere different. Still, the point is that the university can’t control everything, and you should bare that in mind.
It’s not really the university’s fault if it happens to be raining that day, or if you get attacked in the street by an urban fox
That said, the university can do a lot to make your first impression of a place a favourable one. Generally there will be stalls, stands and guides waiting to help you get around OK and enjoy yourself whilst you’re there. Also, Coursefindr officially endorses any university that has an opening reception involving free sandwiches and possibly biscuits. That is a must, in our eyes.
So, remember first impressions aren’t everything but make sure to recognise what the university has and hasn’t prepared for you. This is your day, you’re the bell of the ball, and you’re the one that should be fussed over and lavished with attention. So they should be making an effort. If they’re not, then you may want to reconsider.
Things To See
If you do choose this university, you’re going to be working very hard here for – generally – at least three years. That means you want the facilities to be airtight, affordable, and enjoyable. The union should look nice, the toilets should be clean, and the library should be stuffed full of (the right) books and busy students. If that isn’t the case, you’ve visited the wrong university. Don’t be afraid to be nosy and check out places like lecture theatres (though make sure not to disturb anyone) and labs (ditto) to see where you’re going to be spending your time. It’s important you make the right choice; don’t be too embarrassed or lazy to have a thorough look around or you could spend the next three years regretting it immensely.
The first place you should visit is, without any doubt, the library. This is the most important place you’ll be spending time outside your department (which you should be shown round) and you should get to grips with the place and see if it’s up to your standards before anything else. Everything else outside the department is secondary – you won’t have to visit the union or the bookshop if you don’t want to; you will have to visit the library.
Don’t just see if the library looks nice, either – look for the practical things like plug sockets (a student can never have too many plug sockets), printers, desks, computers and staff. It’s also a good idea to see how crowded it is at peak time (which should be around 1pm) and see if there would be enough space to fit yourself into the mix as well – you may regret it later if you don’t.
The second thing that every good open-day visitor should check is the union. If they have a restaurant try the food and see what you think and if it’s affordable enough to be worth visiting again. If they have a bar see what drinks are on offer. Ask if it has any nightlife, have a nosy. Just generally look around and see what’s going on and think “would I come here again if I had the choice?”. It’s that simple. Make sure to also check out the more serious side of things that should be in a student union like the student support services etc. etc. You might not think you need them right now, but you never know what’s going to happen in three years and it’s a good idea to make sure there’s a system in place just in case you will ever need it.
Third, you should check the facilities around the entire university. Is the campus clean? Are there toilets dotted around the place? Is there a decent amount of cafes and things in the campus? Do you have a decent choice of places to go? Most importantly, could you kill an hour here without too much trouble? There’s a lot to think about here and a lot to consider, but remember, the university should be showing off its good side, so if you’re not impressed now; you won’t be impressed when you’re studying here full time.
Town
The university isn’t the only thing to visit when going on an open day – after all, you won’t be living there and you certainly won’t be spending every hour of your free time there. Another immensely important thing to consider is what the surroundings are like. A university could be the most prestigious in the world, but if you’re likely to get mugged on the way home it may not be the best choice for you.
Remember, the university should be showing off its good side, so if you’re not impressed now; you won’t be impressed when you’re studying here full time.
So, visit the area around the university and see what the scene’s like outside school hours. Stroll into a few bars and restaurants to see what it’s like, and try to ask one of your open-day guides to direct you to where the students live. And no, we don’t mean halls (though you should check them out if you get a chance, too). We mean the second and third year accommodation houses. Yes, we know that they’re managed by landlords generally and so could be dotted anywhere around the place, but generally student houses tend to stay in the same area near the university and more likely than not your future house will be in that area too. So make sure to see what the houses are like!
Also make sure to check out distances and shops and other practical things like that. Where are you likely to go out drinking? Is everything within a decent walking distance of the campus? Are there any dodgy areas you’d like to steer clear of if you can? All of these questions are, basically, intuitive, so you should act more from instinct than anything else. Be practical, be straightforward, and honestly ask yourself if you would enjoy living here for three years – this is a huge step, and shouldn’t be taken lightly.
What You Should Do
Now, we know we’ve gone on and on about this being the university’s chance to impress you, and not the other way around, but there are a few things you should probably take into account before lording your way around the place and demanding better sandwiches and a better-value lunch. This is also a good opportunity to leave your mark on the people you meet, and this could have some exciting and far-reaching consequences in the long run.
First off, ask lots and lots of questions as soon as you get a chance. Nobody likes enthusiasm like universities do, and this is your chance to learn as much about a university as you can. So; ask how the course is taught, if there’s many seminars, what’s the coursework based around, how many floors does the library have, what do the current students think of everything; and more and more and more. If you have any relevant questions at all, ask them. This is your one chance to really evaluate a university before you apply and so you need to find out as much as possible about the place. It is simply the sensible thing to do.
Make sure to take a notebook with you when you visit and make some notes on the place. This isn’t so you look good; it’s so you can remember everything about the different universities a month later when you’re trying to work out what to pick. Record as much as possible – and make sure to make a note of who gave the best sandwiches.