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Higher education

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Original poster

Can we walk around a campus university on a normal day?

34 replies

WorldMap24 · 02/10/2024 16:00

My son is year 11 so we won't be attending any open days for Uni or anything, it's way too soon for that. However, he has started thinking about his further education in terms of what he should pick for a-levels to get onto the uni course he wants etc, and so naturally we have discussed where he might like to go. He has a few listed and we agreed that as opportunities arise we would take a look at the local areas and see if he gets a feeling, good or bad, for any of them to decide if we should go back for the open days. We are going near to Loughborough in a few weeks and did consider doing a slight detour to have a nosey while we are in the area, but being a campus with security etc I'm not sure how much we would be able to see. Can we just walk around by the student union etc, or would we be turned away? We wouldn't want to go in the buildings, just have a bit of a walk, go to the local shops etc.

OP posts:
PhotoDad · 02/10/2024 16:07

It's what we did for various places for both my DC (not at Loughborough, admittedly) and it was always fine. Good to get a feel for the campus/city outside of the mania of Open Days. Like you, we did it if we happened to be in a particular part of the country (both DC travelled with hobbies/sport). The only issue might be parking for more remote campuses, on-site is often reserved for staff.

toooldforbrat · 02/10/2024 16:15

yes , absolutely and yes easy to do at Loughborough ( both my DS's went there).

There is a hotel on site, go for a coffee there & security will let you in with car to park. Its a very big site and 30 mins walk from 1 end to the other. Or park somewhere on Holywell / Derwent drive ( avoid residents parking and take the footpath onto campus).

I did the same with my DS at Southampton and Brookes when he was 14, he is very dyslexic and due to this was bottom sets at his school. I wanted him to aim far higher than his school aimed for him and walked round a few Unis to give him a feel for the environment. He ended up with a 1st from Loughborough.

clary · 02/10/2024 16:25

Yes defo at Loughborough. You can park on campus, tho you’ll have to pay - just tell them at the gate you are there to look round. I’m sure they will be fine. I go there all the time to watchDS’s matches. And years ago he used to train athletics there and I’d go off for a run round campus. Someone once took me for a student (or maybe a lecturer haha) and asked where the nearest cash point was. I knew as well 😂😂

Runskiyoga · 02/10/2024 16:31

You can, but we didn't find it that helpful without talks, chatty students and being able to go into buildings. Might put you off unnecessarily. Went to a few, not a very inspiring experience. However, maybe you can catch a sports match or something at Loughborough. If you do, maybe look up videos about life at the uni to watch at the same time, some have virtual tours. My vote would be wait for open days.

Rocknrollstar · 02/10/2024 16:31

You can definitely walk round any campus. Depending on the university you might be able to access the SU and some of the buildings. It depends on the level of security in place.

NetballHoop · 02/10/2024 16:34

As others have said, yes, you can have a look around Loughborough. If you've time, Nottingham isn't too far away and you can have a look around there too.

Singleandproud · 02/10/2024 16:35

Yes, we've been doing that for years since DD was a tot our local uni has a large sports complex open to the public and an art gallery as well so we'd walk through the campus between the two. Obviously when she was little she could have been anywhere but in the Secondary school years she started taking more interest in what the different buildings were for, and the general feel of the place.

KnottedTwine · 02/10/2024 16:37

DD is at Stirling which is a campus university with absolutely beautiful grounds. The grounds are used by locals for recreation all the time, there's a Parkrun there on a Saturday and lots of people walking around.

clary · 02/10/2024 16:38

I mean if you time it well the pool at lboro is open to the public (as trained in by Adam Peaty! 50m!) if that’s of interest.

Agree re watching a match - check out what’s on, all the sports have active SM.

If you are there on 27 Oct for example you can watch the AVs losing to Leeds Beckett (probably) at 🏈🏈 for example 😀

outdooryone · 02/10/2024 16:43

11 year old worried about A levels and University?

I personally think that the intervening 6-8 years need to happen before they are encouraged to worry too much about that.

PhotoDad · 02/10/2024 16:45

outdooryone · 02/10/2024 16:43

11 year old worried about A levels and University?

I personally think that the intervening 6-8 years need to happen before they are encouraged to worry too much about that.

Year 11.

clary · 02/10/2024 16:45

outdooryone · 02/10/2024 16:43

11 year old worried about A levels and University?

I personally think that the intervening 6-8 years need to happen before they are encouraged to worry too much about that.

Year 11 so 15-16yo

outdooryone · 02/10/2024 16:46

Ah, my apologies then!

crumblingschools · 02/10/2024 16:47

Might be useful to look at town as well. When DS went on an official uni tour he quite liked the uni but didn’t like the area it was situated in.

Original poster
WorldMap24 · 02/10/2024 16:48

outdooryone · 02/10/2024 16:43

11 year old worried about A levels and University?

I personally think that the intervening 6-8 years need to happen before they are encouraged to worry too much about that.

Thank you. He is year 11, so turning 16yo

OP posts:
Original poster
WorldMap24 · 02/10/2024 16:49

Thank you to everyone who replied, worth a stop tour on our journey I think then 👍 and thank you for the tips

OP posts:
gerispringer · 02/10/2024 16:49

We took our 14 year old for a look around Cambridge , hoping to inspire him. He ended up going there.

Singleandproud · 02/10/2024 16:50

@outdooryone year 11 not an 11 year old.

However, walking around a uni campus, seeing yourself there, fitting in is half the challenge with some students. Particularly those whose families haven't been to uni before and who don't see it as somewhere for 'types like us'. That's why so many schools did outreach and university visits throughout High school even if it is for a event at the building and not for the university specifically. S to d it from your own children so they can visualise it in their future as an option is important.

Timeforaglassofwine · 02/10/2024 16:52

I think you really need to be contacting the uni and asking them for a visit. It'll be much more beneficial than just turning up on spec. There will be open days in spring, so plan which you want to visit properly and register to attend.

Bagualious · 02/10/2024 16:55

We did this including Loughborough, the security chap just gave us a ticket thing to put in our car windscreen to say we were visiting. We also had lunch there too. I think it is a great idea for them to actually see a campus university instead of just talking about it or looking online. Same with a large or small city university. Yes, you can't attend any talks but it does help them get a feel for size, walking distance etc. Nottingham, Warwick etc also had self guided tours and very helpful staff directing us, Nottingham gave us a map and circled the buildings on where most of the subject lectures for Ds would take place.

Open days are good and I would recommend trying to do them at the end of year 11 or start of year 12. By the time year 13 rolls round it can be a bit tight.

Hoppinggreen · 02/10/2024 16:58

Singleandproud · 02/10/2024 16:50

@outdooryone year 11 not an 11 year old.

However, walking around a uni campus, seeing yourself there, fitting in is half the challenge with some students. Particularly those whose families haven't been to uni before and who don't see it as somewhere for 'types like us'. That's why so many schools did outreach and university visits throughout High school even if it is for a event at the building and not for the university specifically. S to d it from your own children so they can visualise it in their future as an option is important.

I agree
Ds was 14 when we did Open Days for his big sister and it certainly gave him some focus as to what he wanted to do post A level

Bagualious · 02/10/2024 17:04

@Timeforaglassofwine lots of open days take place when the students are on holiday so for a campus uni like Loughborough it is not the same as when it is thronging with actual students going about their day. It is a load of children usually with their parents traipsing round.

Even on their website Loughborough says "You are free to visit us as any time for a self-guided tour of the campus."

Ds2 benefited from the uni tours we did with Ds1, Open days were just Ds1 with Dh because they were studying very different subjects. Having started touring unis 5 years ago it helped the DC understand the different uni locations, how easy it is to get there by car etc and it ruled some out so they didn't need to bother booking an open day place.

Blossombaby99 · 02/10/2024 17:07

I work at a University and our campus is very open - there’s cafes, a concert hall and public gym you can visit, even book a tour of as potential members. The union bar would be open to public during the day, some unis have public museums. I’d say it’d be labs and office buildings that are off limits, but you’ll get a good feel of the student mix, how busy it is on a normal day, and the general vibe of that uni from just walking about. Enjoy your visit(s)!

Londonmummy66 · 02/10/2024 17:08

I second the advice to think about a trip to Nottingham as well as Loughborough especially if an attraction of Loughborough is the sports facilities as the sports centre at Nottingham is amazing and the public are able to use it.

Nomorecoconutboosts · 02/10/2024 17:09

We live near Warwick University - the main entrance is in Coventry but more than 50% of the land is in Warwickshire hence it being called Warwick.
Anyway it’s open to the public, there are cinemas that members of the public go to like a ‘normal’ cinema. Plenty of parking that you have to pay for of course.
The Arts Centre is also a ‘warm space’ open to all

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