How to get the most out of open days

The key is preparation and research. Although you may be under the pressure of exams and coursework, you 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 you have narrowed down your choices, attending university and college open days is a great way to get a feel for a place.

When are they?

You can find out dates of open days by visiting the institution guide - click on the university or college you are interested in to see what open days are available, or contact the university or college direct.

We also produce a publication each year, Open Days, priced £3 and available from UCAS (tel: 01242 544610 or email publicationservices@ucas.ac.uk). This contains advice and listings of open days, and includes lists of taster courses and UCAS conventions.

What do they involve?

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

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