How to get the most out of university open days

Check upcoming open days and book your place

University open days can seem a little intimidating. It’s easy to get lost, forget what you wanted to ask and end up being overwhelmed by everything you’re told.

However, with a little bit of preparation, and a game plan in place, you'll find that attending an open day can be one of the most valuable tools when deciding where to study.

To help you out, here's some key steps to getting the most out of any open day.

1. Get dates in your diary in advance

It may seem unnecessary to have uni open day dates on the calendar if they're months away, but at least that way you’re prepared. Knowing what open days are coming up far in advance will allow you to effectively prepare. Make sure too that your family are aware of the dates so they don’t go booking camping holidays in Scotland when you’re booked to go to an open day in Kent, especially if you'd like them to come with you.

Browse upcoming open days and get planning.

2. Read the university's open day schedule (usually emailed to you the week before)

Even if your university's open day is being conducted online, there will be a schedule of events as though you were on-campus. Ensure you have this either printed out, or up on a separate screen, so that you can keep track of the day's events.

If you're attending an open day on campus, ensure that you have a campus map and highlight the talks you want to go to, along with which building they’re in. If your open day is online, having a campus map is still a useful way to familiarise yourself with the university. It's also worth noting that at some uni open days, you have to book on to certain talks, so make sure you check that in advance.

3. Think about what you want to ask

There are students and lecturers on-hand all day, so prepare a few questions. You might want to know how much of the degree is exam-based, and how much is coursework? If you’re guaranteed first-year accommodation? Is there a sports team you want to join? How far is it to the nearest supermarket? These are just a few questions you might want to ask, so make sure you make a list and take it with you, otherwise you might regret not asking later.

Universities who are holding their open days online are expected to have live chats & discussions, with professors, current students and staff, in order to answer all of your questions.

4. Take some paper

Although key information will likely be provided digitally, or via sheets & booklets, it's always handy to have some paper to make notes on. I would also recommend having a clipboard to lean on, rather than trying to lean on a paper booklet. If you’re super organised, you can even make a table on Word or Excel and print it off – this way your notes can be organised by subject, student life, accommodation and so on.

5. Wear sensible shoes

If it's an on-campus open day you'll probably be doing a lot of walking to explore the uni, campus and accommodation, and maybe you'll even have time to look around the town or city. Uni campuses can be huge and you really don’t want to find yourself trotting to the students’ union building in your brand new designer heels. Wear something practical like trainers comfy or boots.

6. Take someone with you

It could be a parent, carer or sibling, but it's always good to have a second pair of eyes. There are often talks specifically for parents and carers to help put their minds at ease that you'll be well-looked after. They might also think of questions you haven't!

7. Reflect on what you’ve learnt when you get home

Making a table and summarising the key points about the university, even if you’ve decided not to apply, can be an incredibly useful exercise - you can compare your open day experiences! You can also note down anything you think is relevant, from whether there’s a Costa on campus, to where you can go to study your year abroad!

Hopefully these seven steps will help you deal with the stressful process of attending university open days.

It can be scary and overwhelming, but try to make the best you possibly can of it; in just over a year you could be living at one of the unis you visited!

Want more information on uni open days? Click here for our complete guide to everything you need to know.