Points to consider when visiting a university open day

What are you looking for on a university open day? If you can fit all your stuff in your new bedroom and ask a few questions about your course?

There’s more to one than meets the eye. You need to be prepared for an open day. You will get a feel for the campus – if you like it or not, so it’s important to see as much of it as possible. You may be offered a tour around the city if it’s an unfamiliar place to you, a chance to speak to current students studying your course and much more.

Don’t think you need to go to an open day? What if you get there and realise it isn’t as you expected or you don’t like it? Too late.

For each university open day, you may want to think about:

• Subject choice – option to do a combination / other modules?
• How are you assessed? Exams/assignments?
• Is a sandwich / industrial year offered?
• How many teaching hours will you have per week?
• Are you assigned a personal tutor you can see on a regular basis?
• Are you guaranteed accommodation in your first year?
• What are the facilities like in the accommodation (e.g. shops, bathroom, internet connection etc)
• What are the travel links like (locally and to get home)?
• How many graduates are in graduate jobs?
• Are there opportunities to do an internship / placement?
• What support is available for people with disabilities?

 

The University of Hull Careers Service have produced a useful checklist to use when visiting universities with these points and more – take a look at it here: http://www2.hull.ac.uk/student/pdf/Open%20days-%20checklist.pdf

The Facts About Fees

Watch this video if you’re going to university and will need to take out a student loan (that’s almost everyone, right?).

Yes it’s a cartoon but they explain the details well. Definitely worth a watch!

Welcome to our brand new blog!

Welcome to our brand new blog! It’s for those thinking about going to university, but also parents of those applying to university or people who are involved in the application process (e.g. careers advisers, heads of sixth forms, guidance workers etc).

Over the next few weeks, Katie will be writing blogs about her experiences of applying to university, to hopefully help you through the process. Katie is a year 13 student who has applied to start university in September. She is mid-way through her exams, coursework and everything else expected in your A2 year, but has kindly agreed to write blogs to help students through the process, giving advice on the way!

We hope you enjoy the blogs and I’ll be including the ocassional update myself 🙂

Amy