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Post offer open days

15 replies

Thepastisaforeigncountry · 23/03/2016 16:33

My DS is taking a gap year and applying with his grades. He's currently only has 1 university on his short list so we've been looking at the league table for his subject and the websites of a couple of possible university. Their open days this summer all fall on days he's unable to attend due to school commitments, and the ones held in the autumn are also no good as he has a job abroad until Xmas. When DS1 applied (different universities) they all seemed to had post offers open days is this standard for all uni's?

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AtiaoftheJulii · 23/03/2016 17:08

Seems to be - so far we've had offers for two subjects from 8 different universities and each has been followed by an invitation to an offer holder day. Haven't heard any complaints about school friends not being able to visit again either.

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bojorojo · 23/03/2016 20:32

8 universities? Through UCAS? How ? Yes, they will have offer days. You could go to the university on any day. Just ask the admissions dept. He should go and visit at least 2 more. You can look at the cities too. My DD had a look at Durham on an unscheduled visit. Open days are a scrum anyway . See if he can go after exams and before the university closes for the summer.

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Thepastisaforeigncountry · 23/03/2016 21:15

Thank you. Its so difficult to decide which one to apply to by just reading their websites let alone make a decision once you've been offers a place.

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bojorojo · 23/03/2016 22:33

Would you like to say what his subject is? MN posters will have opinions on where he could look at!

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Eastpoint · 23/03/2016 22:38

Dd will have gone to post offer open days for all but one of her Unis before she has to firm. Some are very keen for students to visit - free lunch, parking permit, coffee, biscuits etc.

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AtiaoftheJulii · 23/03/2016 23:07

8 universities? Through UCAS? How ?

Two - different - subjects. Two daughters!

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Thepastisaforeigncountry · 24/03/2016 09:43

History of art, I've noticed this subject generally creates negative comments so please none on here it's his choice His predicted grades are three A*s. Currently thinking about Cambridge, UAE, Glasgow (thats a definite as he loved it on the open day), Warwick, maybe York and Sussex. Definitely won't consider St Andrews, Kent (he knows Canterbury and the surrounding area very well and wants new experiences) Edinburgh (hated it when we went to the open day) or any London university.

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Thepastisaforeigncountry · 24/03/2016 09:43

Oh and doesn't like the course at Exeter.

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SecretScwirrels · 24/03/2016 13:15

Two DC here and they have been invited to post offer days at each of their five choices.
Incidentally, I took DS2 one of them although he did the rest by train. One of the other parents I chatted to said her DC hadn't visited any of his choices before applying because of the distances involved, and so he was seeing all five for the first time post offer.

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HocusCrocus · 25/03/2016 13:18

Firstly - no negativity about HoA from me Smile. If he really can't attend the open days then as a pp said I think going to visit the university is worth it anyway if he can, they will have very different feels depending on whether they are e.g. city / campus. I'm a believer in a DC having to feel comfortable in the place as well as the course so that might help him whittle the list down for applications if he visits a place and it just doesn't appeal to him. He's chosen a fair geographical spread though Grin. He can then ask admissions if those on his list do post offer days.

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HocusCrocus · 25/03/2016 13:34

I don't think Cambridge do post offer open days but he will have been to the interviews so will have a very good idea if it suits him.

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Eastpoint · 26/03/2016 06:07

Cambridge do host post offer days, I know the veterinary school does and a friend's daughter who was pooled went to a special post offer day hosted by the college she'd been pooled by.

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RomComPhooey · 26/03/2016 06:25

Is he planning to apply to start this autumn? If so, he missed Cambridge's application deadline last October and the main UCAS one in January. Many heavily over-subsubscribed courses will already have made all their offers and do not accept late applications or take people through clearing.

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RomComPhooey · 26/03/2016 06:27

Ah. Just reread your OP. Lots of places now do post offer open days st this yie of year and summer open days for year 12 students.

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whatwouldrondo · 26/03/2016 11:06

If he liked Glasgow he might like to look at Leeds, another old art school and those studying art share modules with the History of Art students and vice versa. It does mean it is quite theoretical, the course very influenced by having Griselda Pollack, leading academic who pioneered feminist and alternative theoretical approaches. She did a fantastic taster lecture. York in contrast is known for being more practical, a good basis for employment in the field, though the taster was an eccentric Italian lecturer who had tracked the base of a statue I had never noticed next to the Doges palace in Venice back to being part of the entrance to a temple in Constantinople, very Indiana Jones. . Birmingham has it's own gallery, so the department is in it and you have a Van Gogh in the room upstairs, the students do get to curate and to do guided tours for the public. I enjoyed my visits to all and would gladly have signed up!

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