If you’re thinking about applying to a university but would like to find out more then an Open Day is a great way to start. When planning for an Open Day, it can take some preparation to get organised and decide where you need to be and when. It’s worth looking at the Open Day timetable that universities post online or email across to you usually a week, before the day. This gives you the chance to see what presentations, course talks and departments you’d like to visit.

For me, I’d check out what the universities are offering. Are there finance budgeting talks? Application and admission support you could benefit from. Tours of the university campus and accommodation so you can view your living and social areas as well as where you’ll be studying? Alongside, the main reason most are attending the Open Day – to meet your chosen subject department and attend the course talk to find out more about the subject you hope to study.

There is so much more to an Open Day than subject talks. You can get the opportunity to talk to current students, view student halls, view the campus, speak to the finance team about any concerns you may be having, and to find out about your eligibility funding including bursaries.

Here are my 6 top tips before attending to get the most out of the day:

1. Plan the structure of your day. You wouldn’t want any talks or presentations to clash with each other. Thankfully there are often 2 or more talks per day of the same type and several tours so you can plan your day out morning to afternoon.
2. Write down any questions you may have for all departments so you can be prepared. The teams and students are all ready to answer all questions you may have, so now’s the best time to ask. If someone doesn’t know, they can certainly try to find out on the same day for you!
3. Make the most of the information the universities give to you. Take a prospectus, download a digital map so you don’t get lost or miss an area. Take advantage of those freebies including those tote bags and university pens!
4. It’s also particularly good if you can allow some time to visit the local town or city you’ll be studying and potentially living in as this can factor in on your shortlisting choice too! Remember, this may be your next home for the next 3 years.
5. Bring a notepad and pen along! There’s a lot of information at an Open Day and a lot of conversations and questions being fired and answered. Write down your questions before hand but also write down answers and information you’ve gatherer from your day.
6. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask for advice on what the academic team are looking for in a personal statement, ask what scholarships are on offer, ask about clubs and societies and ask for all different perspectives from current students to future students, academic teams and everyone in between.
   

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