How critical are University Open days?

[TisGlorious]

I understand they are a opportunity to find out more about a proposed course, it's structure, content etc
An opportunity to get a feel for the University and its surroundings.

What I'd like to know is does it form part of the admissions process? Are only limited numbers of candidates able to visit?
Why do people have to book? (Apart from wanting to know numbers) If you don't book can you still attend? Does not attending look bad for your application?

They have no importance wrt admissions. They are so you can have a look around, and the university can advertise themselves to you. Most courses at most unis are not very selective.

You book so they have your details and they can send you "hope you apply here!" messages. And some of the talks do fill up so you have to book ahead for them, and there are probably limits on how many people it's practical to have on campus/in the buildings.

No connection to admissions, even at the top unis.

Subject specific talks aimed at giving the prospective student more than a web search get fully booked in some places.
Logistics are tricky in some, often park and rides run from remote locations.
You really don't have to book, apart from a few (I seem to recall UCL?).
Going on an open day everything is open, from labs to theatres to halls of residence. If you go for a wander round on another day you can get a feel for the campus but you won't see inside any buildings or speak to any staff.

My daughter Booked for all hers, I think it's so they know how many to cater for ( often you get tea or coffee or a snack) and how many student helpers they need.

It's nothing to do with the application process, you don't get brownie points for having a look round and scoffing a few sandwiches, but it is worth it, you get a feel for the uni, meet staff and students, and understand their ethos better.

Thank you for all your replies. It was on MN that I seemed to recall a poster talking about being asked wether her DD attended the open day by her prospective Uni as only those were the ones being called back for interview? . It just kind of stuck since then.
I'm glad that's not the case.

My DD not attending an open day was mentioned by the admissions tutor who interviewed her at Brighton. When she asked a question that she had asked at an interview at another university where it had elicited a good discussion, at Brighton she was told that had she attended the open day, she would know the answer. I complained to the university because pupils cannot get unlimited time off school to go everywhere. We had looked at their U Tube presentation of their open day and her question was not answered.

I complained about the tutor's comments to the university and was brushed off in a 2 page letter! They also delayed her interview by 2.5 hours and she was also interviewed by a student sitting with the admissions tutor. It was an utter shambles and totally unprofessional.

The end of April came and went and she never heard from them again! Pressed NO! Happily went elsewhere.

Bubbles - Sorry about your experience, that sounds awful. Hope DD is enjoying where she is.

I remember your thread Bubbles, it stood out because it was so unusual. Very rude and odd behaviour on the part of the university.

They like you to book in so they have an idea of numbers. They also then have the e-mail address to send you stuff later. It's not connected with admissions.
In some places you can just rock up without booking in - they've not checked who you are when you arrive, and in others they get you to register when you arrive if you've not registered before.

I have to say with both my dc going through the process though, it's been the "feel" of the place that made the choice for them, not anything they read about the course or the place (obviously that initially narrowed down the choice they went to look at).

Atia - you memory is phenomenal!

I just posted about what happened to DD because there is a new audience on this thread. Obviously the fact her non attendance was mentioned was against what I believed to be their admissions criteria. There is also an issue of cost for poorer students regarding attending a number of open days but if they have records of attendance, and they do, I do not think you can rule out this being part of the selection process which is wrong, but happens. It may be a tie breaker - how much does a student really want to study here?

I pointed out the cost factor and their admission criteria to them and that it was not acceptable for poorer students to be told they should have attended an open day. Brighton markets heavily in the Brighton area, so maybe they get plenty of local attendees at their open days.

We travelled for around 2 hours for the interview. My DD had visited Brighton a number of times with friends for a day out which is why we did not prioritise a visit there given the limited time she had available. They also said they expected students to complete an Art Foundation Course prior to the degree when their prospectus made it perfectly clear they accepted students directly after A levels. They invitied her for interiew based on her A levels and a portfolio.

The whole experience was a disaster from start to finish. Even the car park pay machine was broken when we went back to put more money in it due the huge delay in the interview appointment meaning our original ticket was not long enough! Yes, Brighton fined us for not having a valid ticket even though we left a note saying the machine was broken with a coin stuck in it, as did everyone else! We won that one though!

Yes, she was happy elsewhere!

University open days are a massive expense, but foreseeable for 18 years in advance! Anyone with a family income under 45k can apply for a bursary towards this anyway.

And you do need to list "activities undertaken in preparation for your application" on your UCAS form I believe, unless this has recently changed. They do not all have to be open days, but it would be very odd if at least some weren't.

Also likely to be mentioned in personal statement, references and interview.

Open days are often at weekends, so there is not issue with missing school.

Don't have to go mad though, I've limited my DC to 5 - at least 1 local.

And you do need to list "activities undertaken in preparation for your application" on your UCAS form I believe, unless this has recently changed. They do not all have to be open days, but it would be very odd if at least some weren't.

I'm pretty sure this wasn't on the UCAS form when I filled one in four years ago! Nor when dd1 or dd2 did theirs 3 and 2 years ago respectively.

Also likely to be mentioned in personal statement, references and interview.

Really, no.

Atia - you memory is phenomenal!

I've just been here too long, lol. I've never heard a story of anyone being treated worse at an interview. Did they give you any kind of explanation or apology?

Also likely to be mentioned in personal statement, references and interview.

Really, no

really, yes! I am writing references right now.

University open days are a massive expense, but foreseeable for 18 years in advance!

Oh yes, because of course when you are paying for childcare when your dc are little, this is something right up there at the front of your mind, that you must put a bit away for a train fare to a university open day

The Open Days were invaluable for my ds. He was adamant he wanTed a university based in a city centre, not a campus university. We took him on open days to a variety of unis and he completely fell for the ambience of Nottingham Uni, even though it's a campus one. He just knew it was right for him. If he hadn't gone to the open days he'd have ended up only putting city centre unis on his application form.

He didn't have any interviews, and got offers from all 5 of his choices although he hadn't visited one of them. I presume it depends on the course and the uni if you get an interview. It shouldn't count against you if you don't go to the open day, it's not always practical to do so.

Nary a mention of an open day anywhere on any of my offspring's university applications either. One more child to go, though, so maybe it'll be needed at some point.

Did you really plan 18 years ahead for university visiting costs? I mean, to the extent I'd thought about it at all, I would have assumed that they saw the place for the first time at interview, like we did.

Neither of my two were interviewed for their places (not Oxbridge or wierdly Brighton) so no issue about whether they did or didn't attend the open day. Most normal universities and courses don't interview.

But I would strongly recommend that the potential student goes. You don't need to if there's a cost or getting time off work issue. I went to a few, my H went to a few, and it was really interesting but we couldn't do all of them, so sometimes they went by themselves or with mates.

They can't get a proper feel for the town/city, the university, the course and the accomodation from the prospectus. They really should visit.

Did you really plan 18 years ahead for university visiting costs?

no, about 6 months or so, I guess, i just meant it is an expense you have ample warning for!

And you do need to list "activities undertaken in preparation for your application" on your UCAS form I believe, unless this has recently changed. They do not all have to be open days, but it would be very odd if at least some weren't.

Fuck me if you are genuinely going to be head of VI form the sixth formers there are screwed!

really, yes! I am writing references right now.

Really? You're a teaching assistant dealing with kids with very low levels of literacy? And you're writing UCAS references for them? Someone's telling porkies!

I totally agree. Visiting first helps to give a good feel to what the environment is like but most importantly a good idea of what the course entails and I suppose ask questions of the lectures/HOD's that the prospectuses can't answer. We will definitely start doing some open days.

DS will be in sixth form this September, I know school will inform us soon enough but when does all the uni application start to kick off? And when did your dc start to look into open days?

Open days start spring / summer term year 12 - but often get booked up early so definitely check before Easter. They also happen early Autumn term year 13 in case you miss any in the summer.

I am going through the uni application process currently, for the third time - not me obviously, but my children. In fact, dd is at this very moment 300 miles away with dh, visiting a uni tomorrow. Last weekend, I took her round 2 and we informally visited a third, picking up ds2 at the end of his term.

No it is not critical, it is not mentioned on the UCAS form, and yes, some schools can be very awkward about letting students have time off to visit. I know our school only allows 3 days, which is enough as most unis have an open day over the weekend, but it can be hard if, like my dd, you are hell bent on going to a uni as far away as possible and you need 2 days to travel there and back.

Ds2 is at an extremely high profile uni and he did not visit it beforehand. I think he attended an applicant day there, but that was after he had applied and been offered a place, and then chosen it as his first choice.

That said, they are useful though. Having visited 2 unis last weekend with my dd and having sat through all the same sort of talks for the same degree, both dd and I came away with quite clear views on the 2 unis in question. You get a feel for staff, courses, and of course the environment, as well as having the opportunity to ask quite specific questions. I don't think much of that would be attainable from a prospectus.

The applications go in during the Autumn Term of Yr 13.
Some schools get pupils thinking about the Personal statements before, but they don't need to be done until the first term of Yr13 (which is why I'm confused about a poster writing references now?).

Most Universities hold open days in the Summer Term and in the first half of the Autumn Term. Generally, people go in the Summer of Yr 12, but if you think it might motivate a dc, or help them clarify things in their mind then you could look at a couple in Autumn of Yr 12.

That's great information. I feel am all armed up now . Wishing everyone luck with dc applications and visits. Sounds like we've still got a bit of time before we start anything but it's good to know ahead what the timeline is.

really, yes! I am writing references right now.

1. Why now?
2. Why on earth are you using up precious characters saying that the applicant went to open days? Are you listing which open days? Supposing they didn't go to the exact 5 they've applied for?
3. I don't believe you.