5 ways to make the most of a university open day

It's that time of the year again; when universities all over the country open their doors to flocks of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed students.  While this is all very exciting (and perhaps quite scary), it's easy to get caught up in the hype that undoubtedly surrounds university open days.  Unless you have a very clear idea of the kind of thing you want, you'll probably just preferring the last place you went to.  So, here are a few tips for making the most of your visit:

1. Be aware of the fact that the university is trying to sell itself.  If you go there, you're likely to be paying them £9,000 a year, meaning that they're going to put on their best performance to try and persuade you.  Think of the uni as a business, with yourself as the prospective client.  For example, if you go on a tour of the accommodation, you're probably being shown the newest and most appealing room or halls.  It's fairly unlikely that they're going to take you round the crummy little box-room that looks out onto a brick wall, which may well be your new home in a couple of years time...
   
   
2. Don't feel like a nuisance.  You have every right to be there, so if you want to know something, don't be afraid to ask.  The university is lucky to have your attention, so try not to think of the open day as them doing you a favour.  Just because the lecturers and current students appear confident and seem to be right at home, remember that everyone started off as a spotty teenager, puzzling over the campus map with their parents.
   
   
3. Don't be a passive spectator.  If you just turn up to the talks and sit there, hoping your dad doesn't ask any embarrassing questions, then you might as well have just got the prospectus.  Apart from the odd detail about the course, the majority of talks given at open days will bombard you with stats and then proceed to reel off the information that could otherwise be found online.  In fact, the talk about Maths at Exeter, is unlikely to be dramatically different from the one about Maths at Warwick.  What I'm trying to say, is that in order to make your visit worthwhile, you need to talk to the lecturers and current students one-to-one.  Ask the first-years (doing the course you're interested in) why they chose this specific uni over all the others.  Find out the drawbacks about the course/the accommodation/ the nightlife etc.
   
   
4. Take meaningful notes. There isn't much point carefully copying down the ranking of the university, or the number of international students that attend.  If you're going to take notes (which you probably should), they need to be on the things that particularly stand out to you, or things that are unlikely to be online.  For example, you could write down your first impressions of the campus, or the Head of Bio-chemistry, or whatever.  These details may seem small, but in the end, it's these things that will ultimately help you to choose the best place for you.
   
   
5. Trust your instincts.  It may feel a bit rash, but if you arrive at a university and immediately think, 'I don't like this, but it's top of the ranking list so it must be good', then this may be a sign that it's not the place for you.  Out of all the unis I visited, the one that I ended up choosing was the only one that my instincts told me wasn't right.  And guess what? I hated it and left after 5 weeks.  So, even if you're not sure why it doesn't feel quite right, remember that you'll probably feel the same way when you arrive for Fresher's Week.

Hopefully you're now feeling a little more prepared for your university visits! Once you've got your shortlist of choices, don't forget to have a look at point 10 of my previous blog post (cheeky plug) to help you figure out which to go for!

(http://animalpictures00.blogspot.co.uk/)

Harriet x

10 tips for choosing the right university

So, now that your AS exams have finished (phew), you might be starting to think about uni.  If not, then your school will be on your back about UCAS forms and personal statements before you know it.  Are you one of the lucky ones, who has already decided what subject you want to study?  If so, here are my top ten tips for making sure that you choose the university that is best for you.  Maybe you're not even sure that you want to stay in education for another three years- if this is you, then take a look at my previous blog post: Thinking about going to university?. 

1. Do your research- Whether this is done online, or by looking at university prospectuses (which can be ordered online for free, or picked up at uni fairs), this is really the first step.  There might not be much point getting a prospectus, especially if you've decided on your subject, as the majority of the book will be irrelevant to you.  Pretty much everything in there will be online, but maybe you'd prefer to have something physical to flick through and highlight, in which case, having a few would be a good idea. Remember- prospectuses and university websites are methods of advertisement!  They are trying to sell themselves to you, which is why you'll find blue skies and sunshine on almost every page.  If you bear this is mind when doing your research, then you should be able to consider the different options a bit more objectively.
   
   
2. Look at the league tables, but DON'T get bogged down by them- There are various online university ranking tables, for example this one from The Guardian and this one from the Complete University Guide.  While it is interesting to have a look at the overall ranking lists, the most important thing is the specific table for your chosen subject.  For example, if you hope to study English, here is the list of universities ranked by the Complete University Guide.  These tables are far more relevant than the overall lists, as employers will be aware of which unis are renowned for certain subjects. However- don't let the rankings affect your decision too much.  Speaking from personal experience, choosing a university just because it's 'the best' or the most prestigious is not a good idea if you aren't actually particularly drawn to it.
   
   
3. Book some open days- While you can go to post-offer open days, it's probably not a good idea to apply to five universities that you've never even been to.  Don't feel as though you have to go to loads though, just pick a few of your favourites.  Also, if you're not sure whether you want a campus, city or collegiate uni, try to visit one of each, as this should give you a good feel of which you might prefer. Remember- try not to be influenced by the weather! If you visit Warwick in the bright sunshine, but Birmingham in the pouring rain, it won't be surprising if you take a disliking to the latter.  Keep in mind the fact that wherever you go (in the UK anyway), you're going to get your (un)fair share of rainy days.
   
   
4. Think about distance from home- You may be of the opinion that the further away the better.  But, before you head off to Edinburgh, give this some serious consideration.  Although you might feel more than ready to get away from your family and your boring old hometown, being a 5 (or more) hour drive from the comfort and reassurance of your parents, may not be so great after all.  Personally, I'd say that being able to jump on the train from uni and be snuggled up with my cat and a cup of tea within 2 hours, would be the right sort of balance.
   
   
5. Do some digging-  If you simply rely on glossy prospectuses and selectively-edited websites for your information, then you'll find yourself peering through rose-tinted glasses.  Unsurprisingly, the uni itself isn't going to tell you that in second year, you'll probably have to leave campus and move to a town a half-hour bus journey away, for example (Warwick, in case you're wondering).  Between you, your parents and your friends, you'll probably know a lot of people who are either currently at, or have just left, the universities that you're considering.  Ask them for their honest opinion about the drawbacks and make sure you keep a note of anything that might be of concern to you.
   
   
6. Work out what's important to you-  Is your main priority the content of the course? Or are you more bothered by the town or city you'll be living in?  Maybe the nightlife is your number one concern.  Or, perhaps you're a keen athlete and will be most influenced by the quality of the sports facilities and athletics team.  Whatever it is, you need to be aware of it when you're choosing your university.
   
   
7. Find out which societies are on offer- If you're really looking forward to taking up rowing/ joining the orchestra/ checking out the hide-and-seek society, it would be a shame to turn up at your chosen university only to find that you lugged your cello all that way for nothing.  This might not seem particularly important, but if you have a hobby that you want to carry on with at uni, it's worth just checking what's offered where.  (Worst case scenario, you'll just have to set up your own tea-drinking society).
   
   
8. Consider a range of entry requirements- This may seem pretty obvious, but be sure to look at some universities that you could pick for your insurance choice.  This is the uni that you'll fall back on if you don't make the grades for your first choice.  Whether your insurance grades are CCC or AAB, remember that you'll probably be putting one of these universities down as your second choice, meaning that there is a possibility that you'll end up there.  Therefore, it's important that you actually like this place and would be happy to go there if things don't quite go to plan on results day.
   
   
9. Make a shortlist- Once you've done your research and are ready to start making some real decisions, write a list of the universities that you are going to seriously consider.  For subjects that are offered almost everywhere, your shortlist might include up to 10 options, whereas for a more unusual or specialist subject, you'll have less choice and may have already narrowed it down to 4 or 5.  This should help give any further research you do a bit more focus and might give an indication of which open days you should book.
   
   
10. Draw up a table- Now that you've got your shortlist, a table (like the example below), will help you distinguish between the universities that you have in mind.  If you've already narrowed it down to 5, then you might want to hold up on the table-drawing until you've received your offers and/or rejections.  You could rank the headings, such as 'university life', out of 5 or 10 and then give each uni a total score. However, this might be a bit vague and you may prefer to fill the table in with details and information that you've found as you've been researching.  The headings below are only suggestions; you could add one for 'Sport's facilities' or 'Accommodation', if these things are important to you.  

University	Entry Grades	Method of Assessment	Contact Hours	University Life	Open day	Campus/ City	Extra Info

Hopefully you'll now be slightly more equipped to return to school and face the inevitable bombardment of information about 'The Next Step' in the 'wonderful' journey that is your education... I wish you good luck!

(http://nedhardy.com/)

The Ultimate Student Magazine

You'll probably be coming to the end of your exams around about now. Or if not, you're nearly there and you've got a few more minutes spare each day! Maybe you feel as though you've been living in a cave for the last month or two and are totally clueless about what's going on in the world. Or, perhaps you just fancy a good read. Well, your solution comes in the form of Kettle Mag!

Kettle Mag, as I've very recently discovered, is an online magazine for students. This in itself is great, but it's also written by university students, meaning that the articles are even more relevant to you. Of course, this does mean that not all the pieces are prime examples of top-quality journalism, but I think that just adds to their readability! 

The magazine covers a range of topics, including, music, sport, style, current affairs, student life and of course, the appropriately named 'stuff'. This means, that whatever your interests, you'll probably find something to read.

Kettle Mag is also a brilliant place to find out a student's take on what's going on in the news. Whether you agree or disagree with their opinion, you've got the opportunity to comment on and debate some of today's hot topics.  

If you are an aspiring journalist, or just love to write, then Kettle Mag seems like a great place to start.  After getting in touch, I quickly received a friendly and helpful reply from the team and now I can't wait to get involved!

Hopefully you're now feeling reasonably intrigued and you'd quite like to take a look.  If so, click here. 

Before you rush off, take a moment to appreciate this cat:

(http://imgfave.com/)

Harriet