Open days, open days, open days.
😊 Welcome
This week is all about, guess what, open days!
We lead with an updated version of Things to see, do and ask at a University Open Day.
I’ve organised open days at five different universities so trust me, I know all about how they work from the inside. This article gives you the inside story, so you know exactly what to look out for!
Of course, you might not be able to make it to open days for all the universities you are considering, so what about virtual events? We’ll have a look at what to expect from these too.
For those with ambitions to apply to Oxford or Cambridge we revisit my 10 things I learned from attending each of their open days! Very useful stuff - whether or not you are going to their open days yourself!
And we finish with a quick reminder about my new Personal Statement course on Udemy. You know… just in case you’d forgotten!
✍️ Things to see, do and ask at a University Open Day
Off to an open day soon?
With 100s of events in June, July, September and October, it’s certainly a good time to be going!
Open days were always one of my favourite parts of working at a university. I loved seeing everyone arrive on campus - all with a sense of excitement and anticipation about what this intriguing place might hold in store for them in their future.
I loved working with a team of staff and student ambassadors, doing our very best to show off our university, and giving future students just a small glimpse into what their next steps could look like.
Of course we tried to show our university in the best possible light, and it's for that reason that I’ve written this; a few tips on how to understand what they are showing you, and when to ask for more, or to see things a little differently.
✍️ Virtual open days vs. Physical open days: Which are better for you?
It’s coming up to open day season at UK universities, with most universities offering the chance for you to visit their campuses during June, July, September and October.
These events can attract anything from a few hundred to a few thousand visitors and are designed so you can get a feel for their university, learn about their courses, facilities and student life, and generally help you make informed decisions before you apply.
During the pandemic, most universities closed their doors and moved all these events on-line, cobbling together the best they could with a variety of on-line platforms. And who knew? Students actually seemed to quite like it! Their virtual open days got better and slicker, and now more or less every university offers both virtual and in-person open day events.
✍️ 10 things I learnt at the Oxford and Cambridge open days
Two years ago I went to each of the open days for these rather special universities. I’d visited the cities before, and even been to the occasional meeting, but I’d never been into any of the colleges or really got a sense of what it’s like to be a student.
They were terrific events, and while these articles are two years old, I still think they have some super-useful insights for would-be Oxbridge applicants.
Top 10 things I learnt at the University of Oxford Open Day
Top 10 things I learnt at the University of Cambridge Open Day
📢 Udemy: How to write your UCAS Personal Statement
With the Personal Statement changing this year, there is a lot of uncertainty around what universities are looking for. So this course is my brand new six-step guide to nailing your Personal Statement in the new format!
That’s all for this week!
Back next week with everything you need to do over the summer (including plenty of relaxing!).
Jonathan
🎯 In case you missed it
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