Applying and being accepted to a university is a step into the unknown for many people. For this reason, it’s a great idea to learn all you can about your higher education establishment of choice before you arrive on campus for your first day. To facilitate this, the open day is still the best way to become acquainted with your new home.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of what the typical open day entails and tell you why you should attend them all.
What is A University Open Day?
Every university in the country will give you the opportunity to attend an event where they open up their campus to all prospective students interested in applying. The job of any university is to attract students and this is how the job is done – by showcasing the best the university has to offer.
You will be able to engage in various activities and get a real feel for what life would be like studying at the university of your choice.
Visit Your Faculty
By now you should have some idea of what subject you would like to study. University open days present the opportunity to visit the department or faculty surrounding your chosen course. This in itself is worth its weight in gold.
The benefits include;
- Being able to sample the course materials and facilities that will assist you in study.
- Being able to meet the faculty leaders and your potential lecturers – a great opportunity to ask them all you wish to know.
Meet Current Students
The best way to find out whether you’re likely to enjoy your time spent at a university or not is by engaging with existing students. They are usually quite forthcoming in their critique so should be able to give you honest feedback on how they rate the university and its facilities.
This is also a great opportunity to meet new friends which will be an asset when you arrive for your first day as you will already know other students. In addition, those all-important questions such as what is the best bar in the area and the quality of the nightlife can be asked at will.
You Can Tour the Accommodation
Another important aspect of open days is the opportunity they present to view the onsite accommodation you may end up living in. Most first year students will have the opportunity to live in what are known as halls of residence which is accommodation provided and managed by the university.
The quality of this accommodation will of course vary so it’s better to find out now whether this will be a deal breaker or not.
Get to Know the Local Area
If you’re moving half way across the country to attend university, chances are you will be completely new to the area. An open day is a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with your future surroundings so that you’re not bewildered once term starts.
Get to know where the nearest hospital is as well as all of the entertainment hot spots and shopping centres.
As you can see, the benefits to attending several open days are substantial so make sure that you attend as many as you can.
