Visiting unis?

[OuiOuiMonAmi]

Those of you with DCs in Y13, are you visiting prospective unis? Obviously most (all?) in-person tours aren't happening and we are signed up for the online ones - but are you visiting anyway? Some people I know are visiting the unis uniofficially, to get a feel of the campus, and also visiting the towns (as DC will probably be living there in the 2nd & 3rd year). I haven't done yet but am wondering if we should.

It is a really difficult year for Yr13s this year, but if it were somewhere that were relatively easy for you to visit, and you are lucky enough to be able to afford the travel and the time, then I think it does help.
I think that us, as adults talking about 'campus' or not (and, I've seen from other threads even this one word means different things to different people), doesn't really give a 17 yr old a "feel" for what you mean. Same with different towns and cities - if you've grown up in one place, it is quite difficult to picture yourself living in a completely different sort of environment.
I've got 3 adult dc, and all of them felt the first university they each looked at was 'okay' but got a LOT more out of 2nd and then later visits, as they had something to compare them against, whereas each time I was quite surprised at various odd things they didn't 'know' even though I thought they were all fairly well travelled

I realise it isn't sensible to go traveling in to higher tier areas, or to travel out from your home if live in a higher tier area, but there is something about 'being there' that really helps, if you can fit in any visits safely.

There is also a website called WIWIKAU (What I wish I knew about University) where they are asking people to add in pictures and thoughts and experiences about universities. It is newish, an growing, so there might be some help on there - or you can ask questions. There is also a facebook group which moves between being helpful/ useful / supportive and then you get a bunch of moaning people for a while then it goes back to being helpful again - so venture there at your own risk

DS2 had done two open days of his own in October (Leeds and UEA) and had already visited UEA and Norwich with DD and myself when we had a couple of days in the city for her offer holder day. He had also visited the University of Birmingham campus a couple of times, as DD is there currently and DS1 was there before her, also Sussex for a campus tour when DD was looking at universities. We are booked on an in-person campus tour at Kent next week, although he has already listed his provisional choices and although he liked the look of the History of Art course at Kent at the virtual open day, the University wasn't on that list.

Apart from that, it has been all 'virtual', viewing wise: Warwick, Leicester, York, plus Sussex and Birmingham again. We were planning a trip to Liverpool for him to have look at LJMU and for me to catch up with a friend who lives near the city, but that has fallen through.

Yes. Despite universities being closed I took my DD on a small road trip in summer and we visited Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds & Newcastle. She found it incredibly valuable. We’ve since visited Bath, Reading and have had a meander around a couple of London ones. We’ve obviously not been inside any buildings but she was able to see the lay of the land, towns/cities, campus, accommodation location, distances, and begin to get a feel for the logistics and what it may mean to live in that area for 3 years or so. She’s not visited Bristol properly, but did do some chemistry thing there with school. I hadn’t realised it was going on her list (we were a few minutes away whilst in Bath) but if she gets an offer we’ll try to visit - tiers/lockdown permitted.

If your DC have never visited the towns then I think it’s very worthwhile!

No, but ds has seen some of the campuses or cities at other times and we live close enough to one of the choices he hasn't seen to be able to go and look if he gets an offer.

I wouldn't right now, no. They're literally the epicentres of outbreaks.

Maybe in the December break?

I wouldn't right now, no. They're literally the epicentres of outbreaks.

Unless your visit includes inside student accommodation, you should be pretty safe.

You can get a good idea of the campus and the surrounding area from outdoors.

We visited a few in the summer (wandering around deserted campuses - very wierd!), and made it to a covid-secure open day at Royal Holloway, but other than that it's all been virtual. It doesn't seem quite right to go wandering around a university campus right now...

If anyone's DC are interested in either UEA or the University of Birmingham, both have galleries on site which are currently open to the public (you do have to book, though), the Barber Institute at Birmingham and the Sainsbury Centre at UEA. Very close to the campus at Birmingham, there is also Winterbourne House and Garden, but only the garden, tearoom and shop are open at the moment.
www.winterbourne.org.uk/explore/botanical-garden/
barber.org.uk/visit-us/
www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk/whats-on/

Kent was drizzly and windy today. As I predicted when we got there, our guide mentioned that view, and where to find it, but didn't bother taking us to try to through the mist on her tour. But DS2 liked the campus and the bit of the city centre that we had time to see. (Or inclination, rather, before the lure of another cup of coffee and a slice of Caffè Nero's rather nice carrot cake became too strong).

DD wanted to apply to two unis 600+ away. Wasn't practical to get her to open days, so I took her in hols. We were lucky to get in talk and walks, but even without that it was good to see the city, campus, uni buildings to get a feel. DD ended up at the one she'd seen least of, but I think it did help her get a feel.

Thanks everyone - gosh, it's so difficult. I wish we'd visited earlier!