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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 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 17:10

Related to this, if your DC is of a plausible age, most but not all Oxbridge colleges will let you look around even when the sign says 'closed to visitors.' Just use the magic words "prospective applicant." (Not the touristy ones that charge for tickets, and not during exam-revision time.)

clary · 02/10/2024 17:20

Not sure when you went @Bagualious but last year Lboro introduced paying for parking on campus so just be aware of that @WorldMap24. It’s not a lot of ££ tho but just to be aware.

Agree well worth going to Notts too, lovely tree-lined campus with gorgeous buildings.

DanielaDressen · 02/10/2024 17:24

Yes, I go for mri scans at Loughborough uni, I park on campus.

Timeforaglassofwine · 02/10/2024 17:26

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.

I wasn't suggesting they can only attend on open days, just that I think it helpful to call ahead.

Bagualious · 02/10/2024 17:28

@clary it was Feb half term last year when he was in year 12. I can understand them charging if there are lots of visitors, it makes them money I suppose.

YellowAsteroid · 02/10/2024 17:51

At my place (not Loughboro) on a weekday between 8:30am and 6:30pm (our teaching day), you could walk into the main library, eat at the various cafes (well, only till 4-5pm, apparently those of us teaching after 6pm don't get hungry), go to the student bar, and even put your head around the door of various of our larger lecture theatres.

No-one will ask you for an ID card or the like. Just don't barge into a seminar!

Universities are very pleasant places to wander around, actually.

YellowAsteroid · 02/10/2024 17:55

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.

Only if you want to talk to Admissions staff, look at accommodation, or talk to academic staff.

All of whom are pretty busy and tend to put aside time at Open Days for talking to prospective applicants. When I've been an academic admissions tutor, the only people I'd do one off tours/interviews with were if they were overseas applicants and couldn't reasonably make an Open Day. I'm teaching during term time, so very busy - we do Admissions interviews and Open Days on Saturdays.

110APiccadilly · 02/10/2024 18:09

You can at our local one - some of the facilities, such as the gym and cafeterias, are open to all (with lower prices for students and staff than the general public).

PhotoDad · 02/10/2024 18:22

YellowAsteroid · 02/10/2024 17:55

Only if you want to talk to Admissions staff, look at accommodation, or talk to academic staff.

Show quote history

DD (now in her third year) couldn't get to the Open Day of her top choice uni as Covid struck us down. She got an offer from them, but we had a chance to visit the town before the Offer Holders Day... She emailed ahead, and the absolutely lovely Course Leader for her (admittedly tiny) subject managed to give her a 30-minute tour between his classes! Bless him. Unsurprisingly she picked that course and is very happy with it. And indeed with the Course Leader who continues to be lovely.

As we say up here, shy bairns get nowt.

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