Disappointing offer holders day?

[InMyRoom]

Anyone else been disappointed by the offer holders days? Would you see lack of effort as a red flag?

DS was set on Warwick, course impressive, open day welcoming.

Could not have had a more disappointing experience on the offer holders day. Hardly any reps showing people around, most accommodation closed, barely any students on campus (term time Saturday). The place felt abandoned and frankly depressing. There were no seats or benches on the whole campus, not sure if removed during the pandemic or they never existed.

Compare and contrast to his potential insurance day today. Was buzzing. Student reps everywhere, students all around, accommodation tours. Campus beautifully cared for.

DS is a social beast and reasonably is wobbling that there will be no one around and nothing to do. I think he’d drop it but the course is much higher at Warwick. I just can’t work out why they made such little effort and why no one was around.

@InMyRoom

Yes because I remember what university was like and how very few people will actually be around on campus on a weekend. Students may live off campus, commute, have weekend jobs, want to go home etc.

Hull was awful, awful, awful. A huge waste of a day, but then at least there’s no chance dd will choose it. Anyone’s ds or dd even considering the Psychology fast track onto doctorate runnnnnn. Actually felt good to get that off my chest, thanks OP.

being an ambassador for open days is work, well paid work, much sought after work in most unis

Yes, he can go with his friends instead of us to the next two as a few are considering those. Important for them to be well informed.

yes, we went home

If everyone goes home at weekends I don’t think that’s the sort of place he’d want to live. Doesn’t scream independence.

My DD's have friends who went to Warwick and dropped out, lack of support was the reason. Warwick suits some not others.

Is this the York then Hull one?

My DC is at Warwick. OHD was during Covid ish, 1 hour tour round a deserted campus. It is weird but students just aren't up and around on Saturday mornings! They are there during the week and evenings and in the warmer times pile into the square / circle? In front of the SU to hang out and watch football matches on the big screen etc.
The library is packed during term time, the halls are busy, my DC was really happy and sociable. I don't think OHDs are that useful for the atmosphere. Warwick is a big on a limb but the buses are plentiful and cabs very cheap with easy access to Leamington Spa ( where DC now lives) & Coventry.

@Thatdarncat4 it was Hull proper, they offer the same scheme via York which might be lovely 😊. But the version via Hull- actually going there for 3 yrs first- was in no way proportionate to the slightly improved odds for accessing the doctorate.

I think it would be a shame to dismiss Warwick on these reasons alone.

Warwick's terms are quite short if I recall correctly: 10 weeks (9 if your course has a reading week). I remember my friends at other unis has longer semesters. A quick Google shows they broke up for Easter holidays today. So if you visited in week 9 of 10, students will have most likely be working hard to complete the term's work. (I bet the library and various campus workspaces were packed!) I know I had various tasks and essays due in week 10. Students will also be busy looking ahead to their exams in the summer term and placements for the academic year ahead. Weekends were really quiet on campus unless there was a particular event on.

The campus does have a lovely, buzzy vibe in the week, excellent sports facilities and is beautiful in fine weather. There was always lots on offer from the SU (plenty of nights out, events in the day time) and various societies (socials, trips here and abroad). That being said it is very much a campus "bubble". Coventry, Leamington* are a bus ride away and Birmingham a bus and short train ride away. So maybe consider whether a city based university with more walking distance amenities, is preferable?

*There are plenty of clubs, restaurants, shops in Cov and Leam but I can see how they seem a bit naff compared to some of the trendier city scenes!

I didn't say everyone went home. It might be reading week for some courses, so they might go home to focus on studying instead of being tempted to go out.

Some of them may work (independent)

Some may be on trips with friends

Some may be on trips with family

Some may be hungover in bed, some might be off campus to study.

They won't hang around campus every second of every day. I think you need to make your son aware of that fact.

I think my son can make up his own mind, thanks. Do you work there or something?

I just think you need to consider that no uni will be that busy on a weekend

Okay thanks DC not sure but she has an offer from York we are going for a week in April for a holiday with extended family will see what the vibe is although I know it’s holidays.

I hope that’s the case.

I’ll see if he wants to drive himself there on a weekday once his exam leave starts to take another look. Odd to have an offer day on a Saturday when nothing is actually ‘on’.

I am an academic and I always think that the experience days for offer holders at my university (not Warwick) are not scheduled well and there are too many of them. But everything is decided centrally by the Marketing team - who are only relevant during the application process so do not have any bearing on what it is like to study there. The last day I worked at was a Saturday and as I walked through campus I did start to wonder if I had got my dates/times mixed up as the campus was so quiet - totally different feeling to a weekday.

You said "we withdrew"

Hmm, today’s one was buzzing.

Wasn’t expecting ‘busy’ just not almost empty and no one to help.

What course? Also, what other universities are you looking at? 6 in total?

@Thatdarncat4 hope it goes really well 👍

Thanks we love that part of the UK and DC is not a party animal but likes to socialize a bit but also likes outdoor pursuits so we will see. Not in any rush to see her go yet but I know she wants to asap!

My DC changed their minds after offer days though. One hadn't liked York on the open day but applied as the course was good. Came home from the offer day buzzing and ended up there very happily.

ds was completely buzzing after the lancaster offed holder day. He loved the sample seminars, max a group of new friends and felt really happy and comfortable there. It was a Saturday but it was busy and vibrant with loads of students

If the open day was fine, it's likely that you just visited at a bad time.

There was significant snow at Warwick until midday Friday last week so I imagine a lot of people were staying indoors off the back of that. It would also have been during the week 8/9 deadline period for spring term assessments, so a lot of people will have been studying and it will have been difficult to get enough of the (usually excellent) student helpers.

Warwick campus is fairly quiet at the weekends though. I don't have the impression that many people go home, but they do tend to stay around the halls of residence (not necessarily in their actual rooms) or they are inside the library. Otherwise they go off-campus to Leamington, Coventry or to shop in Canley. When the weather is warmer, people do come to sit and watch the big screen but the central campus is a lot of concrete and teaching buildings so people don't choose to hang about there at the weekends - and Warwick is not a campus improved by an absence of people.

Although it is better with the building of the new halls, Lakeside has always been the subject of jokes about how mysterious and unknown it is as no-one ever goes there.