When to start attending open days?

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kenyancowgirl
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Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by kenyancowgirl »

January 15th 2020. UNless he is going for Medicine/Vet/Art and design.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by Guest55 »

Oxbridge/medicine/vet etc: 15th October 2019
Everything else: 15th Jan 2020

Most schools like applications to be submitted to a specific timetable e.g. by the end of November. Maybe look out for Year 13 letters on the school website?
nervousmom
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Location: Warwickshire

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by nervousmom »

Thanks, we have time to think then!
SteveDH
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Location: Harrow

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by SteveDH »

We went to about 3 pre offer open Days, after which we'd worked out what aspects of the course she did and didn't like. After searching through the course details for all the uni's that did the subject she wanted to do, she was left with only 5 uni's so no need to look at any more.

She did however go to the post offer open days for all 5 uni's including one she had previously visited as those were more intimate and useful in making her final choice.
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by Amber »

nervousmom wrote:Thanks, we have time to think then!
Especially if he takes a gap year... :wink:
RedMaple
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:52 am

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by RedMaple »

Universities release prospectuses in Feb/Mar each year for entry 18 months later and some schools bus their Y12 pupils to local UCAS Fairs which have stands/reps from most unis there so a lot of research can be done before deciding to attend Open Days.

I've organised open days for a university before (not just me obviously, big team effort involved) and now do them for a college - they are really tricky to hit a balance between promoting your organisation and making it a meaningful experience for prospective students, but the parental attendance and influence has been increasing ever since fees were introduced in the late 90s.

My DD's only just going into Y10 so we're a couple of years off. However, I have a feeling I will send her off to any open days with DH rather than myself because quite frankly, I'm worried I will march her round, turn into a nighmare parent and not let her experience it for herself...........
ToadMum
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by ToadMum »

I can assure you that once we have got to a university, DD has found herself doing what she probably felt was more than she was envisaging in the experiencing the place for herself line :lol: . I do go on campus tours and accommodation tours - even ended up looking at some accommodation without DD at Reading, when she realised that she wouldn't have time to complete the tour and get back for her first talk - mainly because I'm curious. Although I have to say that at Exeter, even my 'satiable curiosity failed me after a while and DS2 and I spent much of the time sitting on a wall. It was hot, muggy and frankly, channelling my inner mountain goat just wasn't happening. DD loved the place and what she found out about relevant courses, though, which is what mattered.
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DC17C
Posts: 1197
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by DC17C »

nervousmom wrote:Thanks for all the great advice.

I think the sept & Oct open days will be too soon.

DS still not sure what he wants to do, engineering has been mentioned, but he is very good at physics, so that may be a possible.

I'm hoping school will offer them lots of advice.

So I can get my head round it all, if he is due to start uni in 2020, when would the deadline for applications be?
They do seem to get sime help with what to do about uni applications etc. They seemed to leave it until towards end of yr 12 so they have settled in to their subjects and the work.
Other ways to give a taster of University especially in STEM subjects are things like the Smallpeice trust courses which run in Summer holidays.Uniq and Sutton Trust summer schools. Some have set criteria for who can apply but worth a look to see if your young person would meet the criteria.

If interested in space/ physics etc the University of Leicester Space School is a fantastic week long experience and draws kids from abroad as well as the UK. This unfortunately like most of the Smallpeice trust courses are paid for courses however if you have a child who has a passion for learning then I believe they are worth it to give a bit of confidence and insight into the environment.

I’ve started booking a couple of places at open days with dd to start with, went to one with her then she took a couple of friends to other ones which has worked out well as they have used trains and had to work things out for themselves a bit more.
Tinkers
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Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by Tinkers »

DD (at my suggestion) has looked at open day dates this morning for some of the places she has looked at courses.

It’s worth noting that there’s a few clashes of dates for the autumn based ones, and that is just looking at 4 unis. Thankfully some have more than one day. We also have to factor in MILs 80th birthday and a photography job DD has managed to get for one day, (date tbc), in October.

So it might be worth checking and going to some in year 12, as otherwise there might be a small risk that two or more your DC want to go to might be on the same day.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: When to start attending open days?

Post by Tinkers »

Anyone thinking about going to Sussex university open day on the 29th September, there is now no parking available at the uni itself.
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