Thoughts on Southampton uni open day

[NamechangeChelsea]

We went to Southampton uni open day today (stayed over last night) and just back (8 hour drive home). What were your thoughts? DS seems very underwhelmed but it was his first open day so has nothing to compare it to. I kept my mouth shut but I found the uni very disjointed tbh - so spread out

UoS was going to be DS 1st choice before the offer holder days. We're local so he knows the Uni well from all the science days and public lectures they do plus over the years we've known many staff, students etc.
He firmly rejected it completely after the department talks at the offer holder day so I'm very glad he went.
Anyhow, from that experience I would definitely advise visiting any serious contenders, even if you think you know.

I studied at Southampton (and forgot to leave). It’s really not spread out as a uni but that might depend a little on what you study. The majority of teaching happens on Highfield Campus, but Humanities are at Avenue (v close) and ocean/earth science is down at the docks. I’m not sure if much teaching goes on at Boldrewood but it’s not far (I’m old enough to have had lectures at the old Boldrewood building, long since demolished). Medicine/nursing students will have some degree of disjointedness because of the hospital being a short bus ride away.

FWIW, I think it’s gives a really good experience of a campus uni that is close to the city centre. The studenty areas of the city are nice to live in and the campus might not be super pretty but is very functional. I’m really looking forward to the new sports complex.

Southampton outranks Aberystwyth for near enough everything. They are not really comparable. There’s plenty to do and see around Southampton too. However, 8 hours from home is a long way. Surely just as good nearer to home!!

I'm assuming this is something geographical? Environmental or marine of some kind?

We've loosely said DD should choose unis within a 3 ish hour radius. We live not far outside the m25 and it gives a pretty wide choice.

We've only done one open day so far (although Brighton was cancelled but we still went as had made plans to spend the weekend there) The uni we did visit, DD loved the uni ....but was slightly put off by the town. We have one next week and several more to do in the Autumn. I had not really thought of the aspect that the summer ones are at the end of the year and the Autumn ones will be within the academic term.

Uni open days are expensive but unless your DS is paying his own hotel bill surely he just accepts that he's on the sofa bed ... our DS had no choice and Premier Inn with the sofa bed are perfectly OK for the occasional night .. I hate sharing a room (even with my DH) but no way would I pay for separate rooms for a Uni visit.

Dd lived Southampton, graduated now. It's more compact that many so he would not like many universities. Was it traffic problems? Unless you live n of Manchester (which is a long way) can't think where it takes so long to Southampton? Well Cornwall but that's ages to everywhere!

Look at Nottingham, Birmingham perhaps, Loughborough is smaller town

Look at universities no overnight stay is needed, far easier once they are there too

I went to Southampton Uni and had a very good time, enjoyed the course, the location, the campus and got myself a very marketable degree. Having said that, home (at that time) was only 90 or so minutes away on the train. My wife went to Aberystwyth (six hours from her then home) had a wonderful time (beautiful location, great social life) and came out with a good, marketable degree. Our youngest daughter is now also at Aberystwyth (six hours from home), is having a great time and working towards a very worthwhile degree.

Both are excellent universities which offer great courses, great teaching (in our experience) and extracurricular student experiences in their own respective ways.

It's really horses for courses. Our other kids have also chosen universities miles and miles (and hours of travelling time!) away from home. I don't know what that says about us!

Open day at Aber (and the University covered our travel costs) was really helpful and informative and made me want to apply for a place myself!

DD is quite happy to share a family room for a one/two night stay. If it's en suite, no problem changing. Unfortunately Premier Inn only allow two adults (16+) per room, so they're out for the moment.
We got lucky last time - we'd booked a family room which turned out to be interconnecting rooms.