What No One Tells You About Uni Open Days: From a Uni Perspective

Going to a few open days? Here’s what you should know. 

This article is presented in partnership with Australian National University.

There comes a time in every student’s life where they decide to visit university open days. It’s usually in the final years of high school when you realise “secondary education is ending, and I don’t know what to do with my life”.

But uni open days are not just about spending a day with your mates and collecting enough free sticky notes to last you your entire undergraduate degree.

There are actually strategic things you can do to make sure you’re making the most of your day.

Our friends at Australian National University (ANU) gave us some insight into what no one ever tells you about open days and how you can take full advantage of them.

Plus, the ANU Open Day is happening on Saturday, 29 March so you’ll be able to head down there to test out these tips.

You should start immersing yourself into student life now.

Is this uni going to match what you’re looking for? Because this is a very important element when choosing a uni.

You need to walk around, take a campus tour and get a feel for the place.

And we’re not talking just talking about the lecture halls. At the ANU Open Day, you can tour the facilities of all the different academic colleges so you can get a feel of what it’s like to study there.

Plus, there are campus tours so you won’t be getting lost on campus once you’re a student and feel a bit less overwhelmed by this new transition. It’s not just about finding your way – you’ll also be able to get inside info from current students and staff about the best spots to study or just chill on campus.

Check out possible places to live.

Maybe you’re considering moving away for uni or maybe you could see yourself making the move down the track of your degree.

Whatever you choose, it’s always a good idea to see what the uni accommodation is like. If you’re going to the ANU Open Day, there are a bunch of ANU student residences to check out. Plus, if you’re a first-year student, you're guaranteed a room by the uni.

Ask A LOT of questions about your degrees, majors & more.

If all you come away with from an open day is free stuff – you haven’t made the most of your day.

One of the most important things, if not the most important thing, is actually asking about potential degrees or majors you could be interested in.

If you’re not sure what you want to study, focus on what subjects you like and ask students and staff from those disciplines some general questions about what you'll learn and the future career paths this will lead to.

If you know what you want to study, get specific with your questions. Or if you’re tossing up between different degrees or majors, you could even compare these.

If you know what you want to study, you could ask what makes this degree different at this uni?

Heading to the ANU Open Day? Ask around about how the uni will support you and challenge you. There’s also an opportunity to speak to admissions staff about any questions you might have about your application.

Try a whole bunch of new things.

This is the time to try out new things, learn about internships and the latest research and find out other opportunities you can get as part of your degree!

At ANU Open Day you can hear about pathways to entrepreneurship, postgrad study and even about study abroad options like exchange programs and study tours.

Immerse yourself in what it would be like to be on the gorgeous campus in Canberra and consider whether it is the right fit for you.

And if you wanna get ahead of the crowd, you can complete the ANU early offer application before 15 May.

Don’t miss this one – check out the ANU Open Day, Saturday 29 March.