This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

How many uni open days should i go to?

I'm starting to plan open day visits for June-Sept but i have no idea how many to go to. How many did you go to (if you've already applied)?

Reply 1

Ellie4

2

SiAnY

I'm starting to plan open day visits for June-Sept but i have no idea how many to go to. How many did you go to (if you've already applied)?

Hey. I haven't applied yet, but I thought I'd reply anyway. I'm going to all the universities that I'm putting down on my form, because even though somewhere has a good rep/you think you'll like it etc, you might change your opinion when you get there. For example, I always thought I'd put Nottingham down as one of my choices, but when I visited it, I realised it wouldn't be a place I was happy (not to say it's not an excellent uni, it just wasn't for me). No matter how many prospectuses you read, you can never know what a place is like unless you've been there. I think I'll go to about 8 uni open days (been to a few already). If you're fairly certain about the places you're considering going, then 6-8 tends to be adequate, but I wouldn't put anything on my UCAS form if I hadn't visited it. Hope that helps in some small way :smile:

Reply 2

undiscovered

OP

13

Ellie4

Hey. I haven't applied yet, but I thought I'd reply anyway. I'm going to all the universities that I'm putting down on my form, because even though somewhere has a good rep/you think you'll like it etc, you might change your opinion when you get there. For example, I always thought I'd put Nottingham down as one of my choices, but when I visited it, I realised it wouldn't be a place I was happy (not to say it's not an excellent uni, it just wasn't for me). No matter how many prospectuses you read, you can never know what a place is like unless you've been there. I think I'll go to about 8 uni open days (been to a few already). If you're fairly certain about the places you're considering going, then 6-8 tends to be adequate, but I wouldn't put anything on my UCAS form if I hadn't visited it. Hope that helps in some small way :smile:

Yeah 6-8 was what i was thinking, but my dad thinks getting to Durham and places up north will takes aggeessss (i live right down south lol) so i might not be able to get there. But he said we'll try to :smile:

. Also if you book a place on an open day and don't go, does it matter?

Reply 3

suz19

SiAnY

Yeah 6-8 was what i was thinking, but my dad thinks getting to Durham and places up north will takes aggeessss (i live right down south lol) so i might not be able to get there. But he said we'll try to :smile:

. Also if you book a place on an open day and don't go, does it matter?

The more you go to the better really! And no it won't affect your chances of being accepted if you don't end up going to the open day- I couldn't go to a couple I'd arranged but still got accepted. I just gave them a call the day before to say I wouldn't be able to make it :smile:

Reply 4

undiscovered

OP

13

suz19

The more you go to the better really! And no it won't affect your chances of being accepted if you don't end up going to the open day- I couldn't go to a couple I'd arranged but still got accepted. I just gave them a call the day before to say I wouldn't be able to make it :smile:

Yeah but i don't want to go to too many/ones that are too far away as my dad might get bored! Hehehe. Actually that's a stupid reason. Lol.

Reply 5

Ellie4

2

SiAnY

Yeah 6-8 was what i was thinking, but my dad thinks getting to Durham and places up north will takes aggeessss (i live right down south lol) so i might not be able to get there. But he said we'll try to :smile:

. Also if you book a place on an open day and don't go, does it matter?

I live in London, and the day I go to Newcastle was a trek! But me and my mates tend to go to a lot together, and go by train (if you get a young persons railcard for £18 then they offer huge discounts on trips by train). This enables you to go to some on your own if none of your friends are considering that uni and your parents can't make it because it's a weekday (happened to me with Cambridge). Uni's won't tend to mind, or even notice if you don't show up, depending on how formal their registration process is. Even so, I doubt they'd bat an eyelid considering te number of people who will be there.

Reply 6

suz19

SiAnY

Yeah but i don't want to go to too many/ones that are too far away as my dad might get bored! Hehehe. Actually that's a stupid reason. Lol.

Lol, it's a good point though- my poor mum was bored stiff on one of mine! :biggrin:

Don't think she could've handled any more like it. Luckily the other uni's i visited made the parents' day a bit more interesting. You could always go down as a big group with your friends on the train or something :smile:

Reply 7

hornblower

6

SiAnY

I'm starting to plan open day visits for June-Sept but i have no idea how many to go to. How many did you go to (if you've already applied)?

I went to five open days. I knew where I was going to apply to anyway. I also visited each one after I applied, for interviews.

I like going to open days. They are a chance to miss school, explore somewhere new, travel unknown territories, meet new people, and to have a good time.

Go to anywhere that you are thinking of applying to and perhaps to ones that you are not sure about. The experiences will help you make up your mind, and are experiences anyway.

Reply 8

Expression

14

SiAnY

I'm starting to plan open day visits for June-Sept but i have no idea how many to go to. How many did you go to (if you've already applied)?

Went to 5 overall:

Durham
National Express Coach (3 day Open Day at Grey)
Southampton
National Express Coach (via London Victoria :eek:

)
Sheffield
Stagecoach East Midlands Route 747
Leeds
Stagecoach East Midlands Route 747 to Sheffield
Virgin Voyager from Sheffield to Leeds
St Andrews
Nottingham East Midlands - Edinburgh by Easyjet - day in Edinburgh the day before the Open Day. Stayed overnight in Youth Hostel in Edinburgh.
Train to Leuchars the following day, bus connection to St Andrews.
Flight back to Nottingham East Mids that night.

Reply 9

Expression

14

SiAnY

Yeah 6-8 was what i was thinking, but my dad thinks getting to Durham and places up north will takes aggeessss (i live right down south lol) so i might not be able to get there. But he said we'll try to :smile:

. Also if you book a place on an open day and don't go, does it matter?

Being in Hampshire you should easily be able to get to one of the main train terminals - Southampton or Winchester are good bets, that or just find a way to get to London if you are going north, and there should be plenty of options available from there - either from London St Pancras (Midland Mainline), London Euston (Virgin Voyager) or London Kings Cross (East Coast Mainline - GNER), and indeed Victoria Coach Station too.

Long trips however for parents, especially on trains can be expensive, as they have to pay full price (!), so I'd follow Ellie's advice and get a YP Railcard, which knocks a 1/3 off fares - so if you're off to Newcastle/Durham the £18 price for the card, soon pays it's way back from the first journey.

I spent the time away from my parents, despite them wanting to come with me, I travelled independantly, made all the travel arrangements, and wouldn't even let my Dad take me to the airport when going to St Andrews - I found the chance to explore a few new places refreshing.

Reply 10

blissy

15

I only went to one, and that was because a friend offered to take me!

Reply 11

Emma18

i applied to:

sheffield: only as filler tho, didnt really want to go, and so didnt visit
manchester: this is my insurance, i went on the interview day
york!!! yay!!! love york!!! went last easter with my parents just to look round, then to the open day with some friends
Durham: visited during the summer
Newcastle: went to two open days!!! (pre and post application!!!) as i was trying to decide between manchester and newc for insurance!!
East Anglia: went to an open day, but really didnt like it, so went shopping in norwich instead (and missed my train!!!! arrg!!! fun day!!!)
I also visited st andrews before applying, i loved the open day, but not the uni, and so didnt apply (didnt like the 4 yr thing!!)

open days are fun!!!! go to as many as you can!!! theyre full of scared Alevel students like you tht you can talk to!!!!!

Reply 12

~Sam~

15

I'm going to Cardiff next wednesday, I'm looking forward to that. I want to go to as many as possible, but we're only allowed about five days off school for open days. It doesn't matter too much if you apply to a uni without visiting it first because if you get accepted you get invited to an open day any way.

Reply 13

babyboo

1

SiAnY

I'm starting to plan open day visits for June-Sept but i have no idea how many to go to. How many did you go to (if you've already applied)?

why oh why siany dya ask silly ?s lol...how many propsectuses shud i order, how many open days should i go to......AS MANY AS YOU want its all part of ur unique experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 x :smile:

Reply 14

undiscovered

OP

13

babyboo

why oh why siany dya ask silly ?s lol...how many propsectuses shud i order, how many open days should i go to......AS MANY AS YOU want its all part of ur unique experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 x :smile:

hehe me be sian and me be silly :p:

p

... but likes to no these things :p:

p

Reply 15

VoodooDoll

8

i went to:

st andrews- very expensive open day, but well worth it to see the town and the uni. i was quite impressed by this one.

edinburgh- loved the city, but after much consideration decided the uni wasn't for me.

york - loved thedepartment, abhorred the campus. i was quite gutted the campus was so awful as i really liked the course but i don't think i could live somewhere that reminds me of downtown bosnia.... :biggrin:

cambridge- really nice and personal open day. not too many people and plenty of time to ask questions.

oxford - i only went down for my interview but hated it and really wished i'd applied to cambridge instead.

strangely enough the 2 uni's i ended up putting as my firm and insurance choice, bath and durham, i've never even visited.... :rolleyes: