visiting uni towns when no open days...

[ghogday]

Do you think there is any value in going to visit towns over the summer when no students there? I'm wondering whether you would get enough feel for the place as a student? Prob too expensive, far and time consuming for my dd to do the shortlisted ones twice, so wondering whether she'd be better waiting until Sep/Oct when students (probably) back... TIA

Oh, OK, well, I think any proper campus university will lose out by not having students there when you look round! It is definitely not soulless!

Yes, I can imagine any city centre is a pain at the minute.

Yep agree don’t think any campus uni would fair well with zero people there! it’s one to go back to once we can see it in normal times - not ruled out just lower down the list. Sheffield/Leeds/Manchester are her top three, although not visited Manchester yet but again she’s been to the city before but not the Uni itself.

Been useful to visit as she’d liked Leeds at the online open day - very good speaker for the course she wants to do- but she wasn’t sure about the the distance for the accommodation to the campus but we walked it and it’s not too bad.

@nameychange can you walk around the campus and near the halls at Leeds? Agree with you re visiting campus unis again, my dd couldn't get a feel for Southampton but I think it's one to revisit as she loved the look of the course.

We parked by North Hill Court on a side road, that was closed up and signs said private property but could look from road. We then walked towards the campus, then gave various campus halls a walk by and strolled round the outside of the various buildings and found the one where DD would be based if she goes there. So yep. Obviously all shut up and closed but could get a feel for how big it is. Had a lovely feel about the place despite being quiet. The ring road had road works which meant a small detour. The way we walked meant we walked through passed the estate agents with student let’s in windows so could also get an idea for prices and location of these for second and third years.

Would anyone know if Birmingham and Nottingham campus are open to walk round?

@FloweringFlowers I tweet messaged Birmingham and apparently closed with barriers down etc. Not sure about Nottingham.

@NotDonna thank you, hadn’t thought of doing that

@FloweringFlowers Birmingham said ‘Hi, thanks for getting in touch. It's great that you would like to visit us! I know it's disappointing but campus is currently still closed but we are slowly reopening and hope to have an update on this soon. For reference, campus is slowly being reopened to staff at the moment but our teams are working really hard behind the scenes to make sure we’re ready to open in September to welcome new and returning students to the University.
Details of the ‘new normal’ and what we are planning are on our website - for new starters here; www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/2020/index.aspx Also, while it's in no way the same, here is a virtual tour in the meantime: www.facebook.com/unibirmingham/videos/197082211622396 If I can help any further please let me know, and keep an eye on our social media feeds for updates on when campus is open again for a walkaround. Best wishes,’

This thread has inspired me. I think it won't be a bad idea to do a bit of a "tour" of the places DS has in mind. Even if campuses aren't open, if nothing else it will give a bit of an idea of the logistics of travel distance

@FloweringFlowers Nottingham is open, we had a lovely visit last week. Also, I would suggest double-checking re Birmingham. I phoned the switchboard for Warwick and was told no, the barriers are down , it's a closed campus and you won't be allowed on. A friend thought this sounded odd, since universities are probably desperate to get students in, so a few days later I phoned the number for security and I also emailed the Undergraduate Admissions team. Security told me they were actually on site so knew the situation and we could definitely visit, so we did and it was really helpful. The undergraduate admissions team replied to my email a few days later also saying we would be welcome to visit.

Birmingham Uni update
Visited Birmingham Uni today. It is closed. Roads blocked with barriers and notices everywhere saying closed to the public. However, we’ve never been before and wanted to see the city and surrounds if nothing else. It was definitely worth it! Drove & parked at Selly Oak train station (free) where students live off campus in 2nd/3rd years and got the train 1 stop to ‘university’. (We could have walked but that’s all about getting our bearings). Barriers down at the roads going into the campus but able to walk around the whole perimeter very easily and get a very good feel for the area. Also able to see outside of various student accom such as metalworks etc. Was good to walk whole perimeter. Got the train 2 stops into the city which took no time. Meandered around bull ring and shopping area & then back to Selly Oak and our car. Probably spent 4hrs there. Absolutely worth it for us. Now to Nottingham.

Just to add Nottingham and Newcastle were both ‘open’ to wander around the outside of buildings, accom etc etc. My DD has found it incredibly worthwhile.

Nipped to Liverpool today for a self guided open day. Really nice and DD liked the layout of the campus and the proximity to the city centre. We then drove to the off campus accommodation which I don’t think she’d opt for but was in a nice leafy green area.
Still need to do manchester and Newcastle but proving useful to get a feel for the cities.

In the last month we have travelled to see Durham, York and Bristol. On each trip we explored the city and wandered round the university buildings as much as possible. On every trip we encountered other family groups doing exactly the same, carrying maps and prospectuses!
Bristol university had an app with a virtual tour of the university buildings which was really good and we printed off a similar guide from the Durham website too.
It was really helpful for dd1 and generally just good for us to get out as a family and feel we were doing something proactive about her next steps.

We have been to Nottingham and Leicester for both universities .
Nottingham uni had its barriers up. DD really liked the campus.

Although it was very quiet, it gave DD an idea of how universities are set up physically and the facilities that are a available on Campus or nearby. She was put off Leicester uni as the campus is some distance away in a leafy MC area.)

We also explored areas that students move to in their2/3rd year and what was available in the city centres and the proximity of train stations from the uni ( to get home ).

DD is not very adventurous , very rarely leaves the MC Home Counties town we live in but visiting the cities has given a thirst for discounting the smaller unis and less diverse unis .

We are visiting Reading next and Sheffield in the next few weeks .

Thanks for a really heartening thread - planning Nottingham / Sheffield this week, and so glad that others have found this useful.

She was put off Leicester uni as the campus is some distance away in a leafy MC area.)

I assume you mean the Student Village (accommodation and sports) at Oadby? Yes, when DS1 and I visited a few years ago, I did wonder what the neighbours feel about it being there, but some of the student accommodation will have been there for a lot longer than they have. (Bit like those where we live who by a house in a certain area and then moan about the airport. The advent of which, they would only be able to remember if they were now at least 109 years old...

There is quite a bit more accommodation in the city centre, nearer to the actual university campus, than there was when DS1 was looking, I think, and our 'guide'said that in 2nd year, most people find private accommodation within easy walking distance.

@MarchingFrogs

She was put off Leicester uni as the campus is some distance away in a leafy MC area.)

I assume you mean the Student Village (accommodation and sports) at Oadby? Yes, when DS1 and I visited a few years ago, I did wonder what the neighbours feel about it being there, but some of the student accommodation will have been there for a lot longer than they have. (Bit like those where we live who by a house in a certain area and then moan about the airport. The advent of which, they would only be able to remember if they were now at least 109 years old...

There is quite a bit more accommodation in the city centre, nearer to the actual university campus, than there was when DS1 was looking, I think, and our 'guide'said that in 2nd year, most people find private accommodation within easy walking distance.

Yes that's it . I'm originally from Leicester and lived next to Oadby in Wigston.

We went to the university first and past the new accommodation being built ( not sure if it's the university's but it's on the same site where the postgraduate accommodation used to be). We then drove into the city centre and then down to Oadby.

DD thought it was nice but too residential (we then went on to visit my sister who lives in a similar location nearby ). We currently live in a similar environment in Hertfordshire and DD said she wants to experience a different environment, even though it's only for the first year.

Will have to look further into the new accommodation being built as then the uni would be a definite option.

We visited Birmingham Uni last weekend as my DD will be going there in a few weeks and she wanted to see the campus again as the post offer days were cancelled. Very easy to walk around and parking in the campus multi-storey is free at weekends. We walked around the accommodation blocks and found her faculty building. Agree that it’s very quiet and doesn’t reflect the buzz of an open day but you can still get a feel as to whether it’s a possible option if you are thinking of applying for next year.