Uni town visits - when can we go?

[GreenNdYellow]

Following the provisional timetable from Johnson about when lockdown restrictions will be eased, does anyone get an idea of when we might be able to travel to visit Unis?

I am not expecting Unis to be able to run in person Open Days before the deadline to confirm offers, However those of us whose DC have not been able to even visit the area when Unis are located would welcome the opportunity to do so.

So, when do you think day trips, or trip requiring an overnight stay would be allowed? Or would they already be allowed under the umbrella of being allowed to travel for Education purposes?

I wouldn’t want my DCs going off to a university they’d never visited. Nothing like walking round a place to get the feel of it. I remember doing the same at his age and fell in love with the city of York which hadn’t been my first choice. I think the location makes a huge difference.
I’m going to drive my DS to each city and walk around with him. Quite looking forward to it.
Even more critical for him as he has led such a protected life for the last year and I think moving away will be a bigger change than it was for his sisters.
I’m going to do a grand tour after April 13, not sure I can do them all as day trips though.

GaribaldiGirl completely agree.

Agree with the previous poster who said how different everything currently is under covid. Last summer we visited York and dd1 loved the city - but the empty campus completely underwhelmed her and it dropped down her list. Am sure she would have had a very different impression in normal times.

@LeiatheSchnauzer that’s so true - and more so for York than most I suspect. I’m going to visit York, UEA and both Exeter campuses (streatham and Penryn)
Might be a competition to see which looks the least soulless without students.
It’s the most exciting thing on my schedule since March 2020. Also DS might be forced to chat to me on journeys - usually only speaks to ask when more food is arriving.

Just to add that we did go and wander round some deserted campuses last summer and actually it was really helpful.

Of course it's nothing like an 'open day' experience, but it helped give DD some idea about how easy it was to travel there, what the city was like, how far the accomodation was from the centre of campus etc. We've got one more to do, and will be doing that after 12 April.

We managed to visit Loughborough, Warwick and Bath last half term and it helped my DD, especially in terms of where accommodation would be in her 2nd/3rd year. It's been a great shame not to have a proper open day and have the course and facilities sold to us, but DD seems really happy with her choice and has decided not to see the two others on her UCAS form as she has her firm and insurance decided upon. I was actually sad not to get the long weekend trip we had planned last June, just the two of use, which would have taken in several cities and university open days. So, I say go for it, and enjoy some nice trips out with your DC. It's good for them to be able to picture where they will be moving to.

DS really liked Bath but when he realised it meant travelling in by bus all the time, it did colour his decision.

Should have added to my previous post that I absolutely love going to visit unis! Even in current times it is still so much better than not being able to visit at all.
We went to loads with ds in 2017 (he was pretty indecisive) and they really informed his choices. It has been so much harder without that. We managed to visit Durham, York and Bristol over the summer. And even a 20 minute run around Leeds campus. Anything to give her some feel of what the location feels like.