It can be difficult settling on which unis you want to apply for, and Open Days are a key part of the decision-making process.
It goes without saying that applying to university isn’t an easy process and it can be especially difficult settling on which unis you want to apply for and which ones you want to firm and insure. I remember being set on a particular uni then when I visited it at an open day, I realised that it just wasn’t the right fit for me so I didn’t even end up applying. You only have 5 options on UCAS and you don’t want to waste them which is why it’s so beneficial to attend an open day.
In my eyes, the most important reason why you should attend an open day is to explore the campus and/or the city since no two unis are the same. Things that I would recommend you look out for are:
These are all key components of many students’ day-to-day lives therefore exploring these things will help you to visualise what your days at uni will probably consist of! Some unis have city campuses where all the buildings are spread out across a city which can make it a bit trickier to navigate where your buildings are. With an open day, you can test the waters by exploring the city via different transport methods to get an idea of the best ways to travel.
Although Birmingham is a city, the University of Birmingham is a campus university based outside of the city centre in Edgbaston. We are the only university in the UK to have our own train station on campus meaning that you can get into the Birmingham New Street station in only 7 minutes! Personally, I would recommend that you hop on the train or bus from University and have a look around the city centre if you have some time spare because university isn’t just about academia - it’s a balance between your academic and social life and the city centre is a hub for social activities. There’s so much to discover and explore beyond the uni on your open day.
In the majority of cases, attending an open day also gives you the opportunity to view a range of accommodation options for first year. At the University of Birmingham, we always have a few flats open in several accommodations on our main student village ‘The Vale’ and you can wander to our other two villages in Selly Oak and Pritchatts Park to get a feel for the area as well. Touring accommodation gives you a great insight as to where you would prefer to live should you come to the university. You might realise that a shared bathroom just isn’t for you or perhaps you want to go down the catered meal plan route. There is plenty of information on all university’s websites about their accommodation however seeing the real thing is starkly different and a valuable experience to ensure you end up in the right accommodation for you in first year. Attending an open day will also allow you to ask as many questions as you want to students themselves about their time in halls and any advice they may have. There’s a lot to gain in this regard by coming to an open day!
Other reasons why I found it really helpful attending an open day was to test out the journey from home and learn more about my course. There’s often an opportunity to attend a talk or Q&A session with programme leaders so you can learn more about the course structure, content, entry requirements etc. It’s a chance for you to ask any burning questions you may have and feel confident that the course is the best one for you since courses vary from uni to uni. As for testing the journey from home, for most students, university will be their first time moving away from home which can be quite a daunting thought. Knowing that you can get home in a certain time will help calm those nerves and help you to feel more grounded.
All in all, I really do believe there’s a lot to gain from attending an open day and hopefully if you do go to one, you’ll end up loving the university even more!
Hi, I'm Eleanor, a final year BSc International Business student. I love travelling, hiking, reading, culture and langua...
