How many uni open days should I go to?

Poll

How many?

I was planning on visiting quite a few open days - probably about 8, because there's lots iof places I like the look of but wouldn't wanna apply unless I'd actually visited there! But I spoke to a family member the other day and she said you only really tend 3 or 4.

A I going over the top with about 8? I know I'd miss college but they're after exams and some are on saturdays anyway.

MissSurfer

Reply 1

Knogle

16

You will be going to university for the next 3-4 years of your lives. Go wherever you deem necessary. I wouldn't spare any effort quite honestly. You must feel confident about your choices when you eventually apply.

Go to as many as you feel you need.

But don't feel as though you need to visit everywhere before you apply. Just make sure you do your research to get an idea of what they are like and then try to visit them if you are made offers and are seriously considering them.

I never went to any open days before I apply and then only visited three unis for which I had offers as they were the only three of the six I thought I might end up going to after I'd received my offers.

But going to visit the unis is important. I changed my mind about where I wanted to go after visiting Nottingham and York. I was set on Nottingham before, but York swayed me to go there instead.

Reply 3

Melana

14

I completely agree with Knogle - and really really don't advise applying anywhere you haven't visited. Even if your friend loves it, everyone gets different feelings from a uni, I know I eliminated somewhere I was sure I was going to apply to, just because it didn't "feel right". Someone I know got rejected from 5/6 of his unis, and then he visited the one he got an offer from, and HATED it. Don't waste a choice, coz it might be that one you need! :smile:

I visited 7 unis, so 8 really isn't too many. What if you hate 4? then you've gotta find another two! Good luck, and enjoy the free biscuits at the open day!

Reply 4

kellywood_5

17

A lot of unis will have post-offer open days, so you don't necessarily need to visit them all before you apply, but it's a good idea if you're not sure about a place because, as others have mentioned, you don't want to waste a choice. I wouldn't worry about missing school because you really don't do much in the period between AS exams and the summer holidays anyway. Teahcers realise you've had enough and you need a bit of a break.

Reply 5

Knogle

16

kellywood_5

A lot of unis will have post-offer open days, so you don't necessarily need to visit them all before you apply, but it's a good idea if you're not sure about a place because, as others have mentioned, you don't want to waste a choice. I wouldn't worry about missing school because you really don't do much in the period between AS exams and the summer holidays anyway. Teahcers realise you've had enough and you need a bit of a break.

[offtopic]Congratulations on your 7000th post[/offtopic] :biggrin:

Reply 6

MissSmith

1

go to however many you want to go to; I didn't go to any because I chose by course and rep etc over what it looked like. but, if you feel you want to go then go! it will give you peace of mind and may help in your decision.

what are you going to study? we could possily give you info on that uni and course.

Reply 7

kellywood_5

17

Knogle

[offtopic]Congratulations on your 7000th post[/offtopic] :biggrin:

Ooooh thanks, I didn't even notice! :party:

Of course, it's quite bad really considering I should have been studying/revising instead of making all those posts, but oh well!

Reply 8

MissSurfer

OP

17

Thanks everyone. I'm thinking about doing Natural Sciences, Physics or Psychology btw, and congratulations kellywood on so many posts!!

Reply 9

Melana

14

I don't think you can give an exact number on this, I just thinking you should visit however many it takes to get your final 6, so ideally, at least 6!

Reply 10

Juno

20

I voted 15, because you should visit as many as you can. If the uni is far away then they may be able to pay train fare and have you overnight if necessary. Your college should be understanding, but you've got that big long summer holiday to go in anyway!

And it's a good idea to visit them again after you've got offers, as they have changed, or if you've visited loads you might have got everything a bit blurred in your mind.

Reply 11

babyblonde01

i visited 6 but wanted to visit 7 but couldnt make it! honestly dont waste choices puttin down maybe options just because u didnt bother to look at one! any u really like the look of go! cos like someone said u can get rejected and if u do get a few u have limited options as to where u can go!

Reply 12

beanie

1

I visited several I didn't apply to in the end, then I went to 4 post application days after I applied to the ones I hadn't been to, and Edinburgh again. Think I must have visited 8 or 9 in total. It really helped me to see the uni and the local area as I kicked Lancaster out of the window when I visited and saw it was in a field. The same happened with York. If you're going a long way and its one of your favourite choices see if you can stay overnight in the uni accommodation, if its after term has ended they usually rent out rooms cheaply, or some give you a room for free if you're at the open day. Its worth doing then you get to see the city, accommodation and university.

Reply 13

Dr. Blazed

16

Visit as many as you want, but after the first two or three, you'll start to get the idea of seeing through the bull**** they write in the prospectus and probably won't feel the need to go see everything. But do as much research as possible on the net.

Reply 14

KerriT

9

I went to visit eight different universities and am very glad I did. I saw Edinburgh, Leeds, St Andrews, Oxford and Cambridge before I applied and visited Southampton (hated it) York and Sussex (hmm) after I received replies. I'm definitely glad I visited St Andrews because I know that I would not have applied if I hadn't seen it. If I had seen Southampton I would not have applied but you can't do everything.

Reply 15

Kittennffc

15

Melana

enjoy the free biscuits at the open day!

We had a huge buffet lunch at the English offers open day at Liverpool :smile:

Go to as many or few places as you want to, theres no set amount that you should be aiming to visit. Some places you might only want to apply to after your visit so would be important to visit a good few :smile:

Reply 16

MissSurfer

OP

17

The problem is, I keep thinking of other places I haven't got a prospectus for, then once I've been sent the prospectus and looked through it it looks great! They all do actually! I'm gonna write out a big list of all the things I want out of a uni so I can eliminate some places, but thanks for the advice anyway - I don't feel so silly going to so many open days now!

Reply 17

~Bex~

14

Only you really know how many open days you should go to, and you'll probably have a better idea once you've been to a few.

Reply 18

ssmoose

13

I applied to 2 of my 6 without having visited the uni, oddly they are now my firm and reserve. Before putting them as this I did visit them both though of course. Before applying I visited Bath, Bristol, Swansea, Warwick, Southampton, Exeter and Oxford. Even if your interested in 20 universities I'd advise you to go to them all before applying.

Reply 19

heminder

13

MissSurfer

I was planning on visiting quite a few open days - probably about 8, because there's lots iof places I like the look of but wouldn't wanna apply unless I'd actually visited there! But I spoke to a family member the other day and she said you only really tend 3 or 4.

A I going over the top with about 8? I know I'd miss college but they're after exams and some are on saturdays anyway.

MissSurfer

it's entirely up to you, and how sure or likely you are to go to university(ies)...

i went to zero, as i already had 4 of my 6 choices hand-picked...
these included the ones i wanted to go to, the other two were 'fillers' based off prospectuses...
then went to applican't open days to decide firm and incurance choices...

How many uni open days should I go to?

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