Open days

The key is preparation and research. Although your son or daughter will be under the pressure of exams and coursework, they do need to set time aside to be sure of ending up at the right university or college and on the right course. Some people are lucky enough to know what they want to do, but for most people, the choice is far from obvious, so it is worth investing time and effort to weigh up the options.

Once your son or daughter has narrowed down their choices, attending university and college open days is a great way to get a feel for a place.

When are they?

You can find dates on Course Search - click on the university or college to see what open days are available or contact the university or college direct.

We also produce a publication each year called Open Days. It contains advice and listings of open days, taster courses and UCAS conventions. It is priced at £3 and can be ordered online at www.ucasbooks.com, by phone on 01242 544 610 or by emailing publicationservices@ucas.ac.uk.

What do they involve?

During the open day, your son or daughter will be shown round, have a chance to look at the facilities and ask questions. They will be meeting people well placed to provide an insight into both the course and the university or college. They will get the chance to meet current students, which can be far more revealing than reading a prospectus.

Increasingly, institutions are encouraging parents to attend open days and holding specific workshops and activities aimed at parents.

Most students agree that open days have helped them to make an instinctive decision and confirm what felt right for them. By making an effort to do this sort of research, they can avoid the disappointment of starting a course and finding that it is not what they expected.