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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Can you visit Warwick campus at the moment?

21 replies

LoonvanBoon · 08/04/2021 11:39

Just that really: does anyone with DC there know if it's easy to just drive in and have a look around?

DS2 hasn't made his final university choices yet (for this autumn) and it would help if he could see Warwick and get a bit of a feel for it.

There are some real life campus tours going ahead, but the dates released so far clash with some of DS2's many A level assessments. His school is doing a lot of mini tests / assessments and a weekend visit would be loads easier for us, especially as we're 2.5 / 3 hours drive away.

Wouldn't expect buildings/ accommodation to be open to private visitors, obviously, but is it at least possible to get on campus and explore a bit?

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Daisysway · 08/04/2021 12:13

Yes, I would have thought so. I dropped my dd off around the 8th March. Park in the Sport's Car Park it normally has spaces although the gym will be opening again so maybe a little busier. It's fairly easy to see the whole of the campus on foot although the life science is about a 10 min walk up the hill.

My dd has been very happy in her first year at Warwick despite the Covid restrictions.

rbe78 · 08/04/2021 12:16

Uni campuses are usually pretty much public places - there won't be anyone stopping you wandering onto campus and having a look around. I wouldn't expect to be entering any buildings at the mo though - I work for a uni, and any staff or students in buildings have to check in using an app, and can only be in builidngs with a legitimate reason.

Lottie00 · 08/04/2021 12:37

We visited last week the campus is open, we parked by the Bluebell accommodation and walked the site. Whilst not the full experience was nice for DS to get feel for the campus and where the accommodation is situated in relation to the faculties. We also took the opportunity to visit Kenilworth and Leamington again to get a feel for the immediate area. DS found it worthwhile.

Phphion · 08/04/2021 16:39

Yes, you can walk around the campus. Pret, Costa and the grocery store should also be open.

Security may come and speak to you because unfortunately thieves have been targeting university buildings and stealing equipment while the campus is quiet. Security wont send you away but will ask you not to try to enter any of the buildings. If you are nice to them, they may advise you about seeing some of the more hidden parts of the campus.

Be aware that Warwick is not a campus that benefits visually from an absence of students. It has a very different feel when the students are there.

If you are able to, I would also visit Leamington, as that is where a lot of the students live after their first year. It's also a nice place to visit generally.

Historytoo · 08/04/2021 16:57

As others have said it's an easy campus to walk around. Sports hub will be reopened too later this month and it's easy to park there and walk across to main campus. There is a Nero in the sports hub for a takeaway coffee.
Students also live in the Earlsdon area of Coventry too as that is much nearer to the university and on better bus routes than Leamington (there is limited parking on campus during term time) so you may want to look there too.

Original poster

LoonvanBoon · 08/04/2021 17:26

This is all really helpful, many thanks everyone.

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Decorhate · 09/04/2021 11:16

@LoonvanBoon Where did you see that there are “live” tours taking place? I can’t find on the website...

Original poster

LoonvanBoon · 09/04/2021 12:16

decorhate, DS got an email about them with a link to register for one, I think. He says the info was on the website but that particular slots disappeared as they were booked.

I can't see anything on the website and DS says he can't now either, so I think this lot must all be booked out? DS thinks the email said more slots would be released but I'm not sure when.

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Original poster

LoonvanBoon · 09/04/2021 12:20

DS says he thinks the only dates offered for the campus tours so far were 15th and 16th April.

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Decorhate · 09/04/2021 16:10

Thanks! I will get Ds to sign up for open days info etc & hopefully he will get an email if any more are available

Decorhate · 09/04/2021 16:14

Oh I’ve just realised your Ds is going this autumn so these are probably offer holder days

poppycat10 · 09/04/2021 19:09

You can definitely drive right through the Warwick campus (and get out and walk round), it has athletics facilities etc so there are loads of non-students around and there are car parks.

Original poster

LoonvanBoon · 09/04/2021 20:14

Yes, they're offer holder days, decorhate. Didn't realise you were 2022 applicants - you're a lot more organized than us!

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Decorhate · 09/04/2021 22:20

Not really, but am conscious that it may be the autumn before they hold open days so hoping to get a few unofficial visits in over the summer!

NCTDN · 10/04/2021 08:05

Just h joining this- is Warwick campus in the middle of nowhere? It looks it on a map.

MarchingFrogs · 10/04/2021 08:16

is Warwick campus in the middle of nowhere? It looks it on a map.

It is just outside Coventry - Canley and the Cannon Park shops being the bit which is sort of walking distance from some of the residences, (particularly Claycroft,I think), according to the student who showed us round the last time I visited. So not exactly in the middle of nowhere. Just not in, or even very near, Warwick, if that is what you had assumed? There is a direct bus from Coventry station.

coogee · 10/04/2021 09:27

Warwick isn't the middle of nowhere by any stretch of the imagination.

Cannon Park is walking distance from all the on-campus residences. It's just a longer walk from some than others. The nearest station is at Canley, which is also walking distance if you are particularly keen on walking.

Historytoo · 10/04/2021 14:58

There is a bus which goes very regularly from campus to Coventry city centre. It takes 15-20 minutes to get to Coventry station. Coventry station is a mainline station with at least three trains an hour to London Euston, which is 1 hr 10 minutes away. Trains to Birmingham New Street take between 20-30 depending if they are fast or local trains. Coventry is in the middle of a motorway network too. So no, I wouldn't say it is in the middle of nowhere...

ReviewingTheSituation · 10/04/2021 15:08

It's not 'in the middle of nowhere', but equally it's not in any specific place. It's quite a way from Warwick and it's not really 'in' Coventry either.

It's worth visiting to see whether the location works for you. Some people love the fact it's not in a town/city (and I think the campus compensates well for that), but it's not every student's cup of tea. So definitely visit Leamington too (which will be full of life again after next week), and that will give you a fuller picture. If sports are your thing, make sure you go to the sports centre (which I assume will be open to the public again next week). It's brand new, huge, and supposed to be top notch. It's right on the edge of campus, so if you were just wandering around the main bit, you'd miss it.

Historytoo · 10/04/2021 18:13

Sports hub is indeed top notch. Arts centre great in normal times too. Warwick is very much a campus university, it stands by itself on the edge of Coventry and is a community in itself. If you want a campus university then that's what you'll get, it's not for someone who wants to be in a city. I am an alumni and loved it, so I am very biased.

Original poster

LoonvanBoon · 10/04/2021 22:28

Was your subject history, historytoo, or does the name refer to something else? That's DS's subject so if that's what you studied, it would be brilliant to hear about your experiences of the degree/department at Warwick.

DS has not found university decision making very easy. He likes the look of Warwick on YouTube videos etc. but I'm not sure he really knows what it would be like to live on a campus.

He has an Oxford offer too but Warwick is still very much in the running for his firm choice. It's the only one of his choices he's never visited though, and the only one that's not a city university.

He loves the sound of the course, the varied assessment methods and the idea of a term in Venice, though he hasn't done any renaissance history yet.

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