How to get the most out of a University open day!

I have recently been looking around at university open days and deciding where I want to call my home for the next 3-4 years and I took my mum along with me. These are my tips for you if your in the same position as me or if you will be looking around at the open days next year.

Look at the prospectus
Before you choose your university to look around at on their open days make sure that they offer your chosen course because some university's might not do that course or it could have changed within the last year. It is also a good thing to have the prospectus because you can look at what your course offers and compare it to another university.

Look at the accommodation
I would suggest you look around at all of the accommodation that is on offer because even though most accommodation is the same at all of the university's they can also differ. It is a really good thing to do on any open day because you can see where you will be living for the next 3-4 years and you can hopefully be able to get a feel for where you will be staying for at least your first year. Whilst you are on the accommodation tour make sure that you ask students that are there any questions that you might have to know where they stayed and what it is like when you are living there. There are also staff at some of the university's who you can talk to if there are no students around.

Explore where you will be living away from campus
Check out the surrounding areas away from the university's campus so you can get a feel of where you are going to be living away from the main campus of the university. Go out for a meal, go shopping or even just go for a walk around the area. I have found this to be really good because I can see if I will like to live in that area and if I can get a connection to that area because you could love your university but hate the area that you live in so this will be able to contribute to your decision.

Go to your courses stand/talk

Go to your chosen courses stand if they have one because you can pick up booklets and information on your chosen course and you can also talk to any of the staff that are available who can answer any questions that you or your parents might have. Also go to your chosen course/s talk because you can find out about the course in more detail and know more about the modules that you will be studying. You will also be able to have a feel for the lecture theatre where you could have your lessons and you will hopefully be able to get a feel for the course and for the university at that point.

Ask students and lectures questions

Make sure that you ask students that you see around the university what their experience of their time at university has been like and even if they are not doing your chosen course they can have a chat with you and they can answer any questions that you might have about the university and student life. Also ask the lectures any questions that you have about the course  and about studying at the university. Take their contact details as well for example their email address because if you get home and remember a question that you forgot to ask you can email them. 

Good luck to everyone who is looking around at university's on their open days and who are deciding where they want to go to University!