Students in Year 12 (lower sixth) who are thinking of choosing their university for next year, or those who in year 13 who haven't applied pre-A Level this year, there is clear advice from teachers and universities alike - make time to go to the Open Days!
Most universities have excellent websites and prospectuses and of course the Complete University Guide will give you the latest league tables and profiles, but for helping you make the final decision there's nothing to beat going to the campus and taking a look at the facilities and accommodation for yourself, talking to current undergraduates and tutors, checking out the surrounding town or countryside.
Mandy Firth, head of undergraduate recruitment at Keele University, believes that an open day can also help prospective students to make the final choice of degree they want to do.
"We encourage students to book in advance so they can get their hands on a programme and make a plan to get the most out of the day. There are a lot of things going on and people need to know what they want to ask about. It's probably best to come up with a list of questions beforehand and to know who to talk to."
Nottingham University events officer Jenny Wardrop also thinks that a pre-application open day is good for people in Year 12 or 13 who want to narrow down their choices. Nottingham's June and September weekends will each attract 20,000 visitors and it runs eight more mini "campus tour days" throughout the year.
Charles Elder, Bournemouth University's press manager agrees: "Picking your university is about getting a gut feeling by talking to staff and students, and seeing if you're going to gel. This is your chance to look behind the scenes."
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