11 Plus Exams Forum

Just found out there are open days at Southampton University tomorrow and Saturday; DD is only just starting 6th form and we are new to this but opinion seems to be it is a good idea to visit early and get ideas/inspiration as she has a rough idea of interest - Business/Economics. She likes the geog. location and reputation of Southampton. The next big open day is next July - too late for inspiration/ideas.

Without scouring all the websites is there an 'Open Day' season ?

http://www.opendays.com/calendar/index.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Has all of them and links to book places.

(I have also PMd you)

Thank you so much. Had just started trawling Portsmouth website and see that Open days are aimed at Year 12 students. But I remember looking round secondaries when they wer in year 4 !

Thanks for the link Guest55....we have seen round our first choice university, but are no where near making insurance choices yet, so will need to do some visiting I think . Obviously we're too late for Southampton now

edited to say that sounds a bit previous as if we had offers duh!

Most of the Unis have two and in some cases three open days. If you have missed the boat most are extremely accommodating and will allow you to make an appointment to go along and have a look and you can arrange to see subject teachers/lecturers. We have found the formal open days seem to take place between June and October.

What a great link-thanks so much

DD (just going into yr 13) managed several open days this summer after AS levels: Birmingham, Manchester, Oxford - couldn't fit in Sheffield as well as there was too much going on at school to take the day out. She and OH went on a summer "road trip" to visit Durham, leeds & sheffield independently and is hoping to visit Leicester one Saturday soon (also useful motorway driving practice as she'd just passed her test - help!). Many universities put on extra open days specifically for those who have already applied, sometimes combined with an informal interview

Also depending on DC and the course they want it is worth knowing that you don't have to go to loads of open days. My DD is off to a good Uni shortly - I slightly paniced as all other "families" seemed to be doing the open day circuit in Y12/13. We did only 1 pre-application visit because she knew exactly what she wanted from the course and got that info from prospectuses (I think). She also knew the "type" of uni she wanted to go to - Russell group or similar and knew about their rankings as well as social-life reputations. She also said she wanted to focus on her lessons and getting the offers rather than organising open days itineraries etc. We then both went to 2 post-offer open days from where she picked her firm and insurance. The post-offer open days were excellent because they were very focussed and everyone there had an offer and you could start to imagime yourself (herself) actually studying and living there.

Sorry ... a bit long winded but another way of saying you don't have to attend open days! DD2 just going into Y12 and I think she may well want to as she is less sure/focussed in terms of what she wants.

What great input. It has helped to focus our minds on what will be coming up. In the end we are not going to Southampton for the day - partly because all the Economics talks are already booked up and also because it is clear that there is a lot of hard work to do first and she needs to do some of the tasks that were set for completion by the beginning of term! Just investigating it has helped her ( and me ) thank you