My son is on standby for Uni offers day. Can he go anyway?

[RedRockers]

My son obviously didn't apply for the Offers Day quickly enough and he's now been told that he's on the stand by list.
They've said there isn't enough room in the lecture halls for everyone who has been made an offer so they have to limit it.
There is a virtual offer day he can join.

Is it worth going to the offers day anyway on the off chance that he might get into some of the talks?
Even if he doesn't, some of his friends are going and I think it would be beneficial to just be there with the friends who will most likely go there.
He had similar emails for normal Uni Open days, saying they were full, but he went anyway and usually had no issue getting into the talks as presumably lots of people don't show up.
Are Unis much stricter at Offer days in checking that you have an invite?

I've been to three so far, and at all of them you have to register when you first arrive, like at open days, but that would be fairly easy to avoid. For the first two holder days, you went to the course talk and lecture and there wasn't any ticking names off as far as I remember, but for the other one, there was a sheet of name stickers at the course activity. It might be difficult to find out the itinerary though if he isn't booked on.
Basically I think it would be worth going if he hasn't already seen the uni, and he will probably be able to get into the course talks. If he's already been to an open day there, it might not be worth it, unless he wants to have another look at accommodation etc.

Thanks @worcesterpear
One of his friends who is going to the offer day is applying for the same course so he will have the itinerary.

He has already been to their open day with us, his parents, but I think going for the offer day with some of his friends, who also will probably end up studying there, might be informative.

I would def go then, if his friends are going to the same lecture it should be easy to get in (they might assume he is their guest).

Usually you sign in and are given some sort of lunch/sandwiches and freebies etc. We had to show badges with our names which had been printed out beforehand.
There are test lectures and seminars at some open days. My daughter for example- they were called out to go into different rooms for mini lectures etc so it may or may not be feasible for him.
The tour of the campus was pretty much a free for all-we had been assigned to one group but arrived late so just tagged on to another and our guide rang the central place to let them know.

They do tend to be more organised than open days so I'd check really first how they do it where your son is interested as I don't think it would have been possible where my daughter is, but then again you never know. I suppose some people don't turn up as well on the day.

They usually have more than one offer holders day for each subject

Get him to check his emails including his junk folder

If he's already been to an open day and likely to go there does he even need to go to the offer holders day?

Possibly not but if you were buying a house for £80k and you had the opportunity to have a second look before purchasing, I think you would take it

We went to an offer holders' day a couple of years back and loads of people turned up, with two parents in tow and sometimes siblings. It was very overcrowded and they ran out of snacks and sandwiches. When I mentioned this to staff, they said twice as many had turned up as they had expected from bookings.

So, you will probably be accommodated : but it may well impact the experience for everyone . I'd phone in advance to check.

My dd just worked at an offer holders day last Saturday and she said it was ridiculous because everyone had their mammy with them and then the actual students couldn't get in the presentations.

I definitely think he should go with his friend.

You are allowed to have a parent, although some say not in the lectures. Our issue was partly multiple guests because whole family came for a day out...but this was hugely exacerbated by the numbers turning up without booking. It is a bit entitled...

Most offer holder's days have separate information sessions for parents. To go over things like fees and finance.

Holder Days are far more relevant to parents than open days- logically. By the time the offer has been made, the field has been whittled down.

When I went with DD, I don't recall any students there without parents. But the programme and ticket application procedure had made it clear that it would be just as useful for parents as for students.

My DD went to offer holders days without me or DH. She never mentioned parents could go as well! We only discovered afterwards. It never occurred to me to ask....
One she went to with a friend and one by herself and she enjoyed both.

As others have said, parents and students are split for some things. The ones we went to started in big halls for everyone and went over the days' itinary, overview of the courses, etc., then the students were split up into smaller sessions according to which permutation of degree subject they'd been offered, and those smaller sessions were definitely only for named students and they were ticked off as they entered the smaller rooms/tours, etc. The "parent only" talks continued to be pretty informal in bigger groups for generic talks on financing, accommodation, etc. We all met up for lunch but morning and afternoon breaks continued to be separate. The day closed with everyone going into the big hall again for summaries and next stage talk. So basically, "anyone" could go to the parent/joint talks etc., but only offer holding students could attend to student sessions and departmental tours, which were "ticked off" on entry.

I think if he's already in standby it would be quite rude to just turn up anyway.
Number will be restricted by fire regulations for the rooms they're using - you can't just stuff another person in there.

Thankfully he's now had a proper invite to the offers day so he will be going.

Oh that's a relief! Good that he was on the list and that it works. Hope he enjoys it.