It’s University Open Day season. All over the country, prospective first year students for the 2019-20 academic year are travelling the country investigating their university choices. Some already know where they will end up, but for most, it’s a case of narrowing down now for the right choice. Nobody wants to be stuck on the wrong course or worse – the wrong university. So, make sure you look deep and ask lots of questions. Here are some you should consider asking.
Ask Faculty: How Will I Be Assessed?
Some people love exams, others hate them. Some prefer project work and are likely to excel with a dissertation. The best way to get the best from the degree course is to know that it is going to play to your strengths. Courses heavily weighted in favour of exam assessment is never going to benefit somebody looking at a research-based career. Desk based work is not going to benefit somebody who benefits from first-hand experience, and so on. Assessment is about how the course will work for you.
Ask Faculty: Is Work Experience / Internship Available on This Course?
We’ve heard a lot from industry leaders in the last few years that students are ill-prepared for the workplace in certain industries. That’s why many university courses are incorporating work experience roles, sometimes internships to experience what a typical workplace would be like, as integral parts of a degree course. It’s also worth asking about careers advice for third year students. There is a now a larger commitment to helping students find the right path to their chosen line of work.
Ask Student Reps: What Are Recent Graduates Doing Now?
Students will ask this question but in a kind of generic way. Generic questions get generic answers. Rather than asking “what might I do next after I finish this degree?” which will lead to hypothetical answers, frame it to ask about recent graduates. No doubt faculty and student representatives at the Open Day will know. You might get some obvious answers – some have gone on to postgraduate study while others are now working in junior roles with industry leaders while others may be working at the university.
Ask Student Reps: What are the Worst and Best Elements of the Course / Uni?
Even students who are passionate about the course and university will find elements they would change. It’s always worth asking so you can compare not just the positive points, but also the negative points. It’s worth (perhaps) coming up with a list of red flags for yourself to take with you on the Open Day. That way, you can write off a course if they display any of them. This, in turn, should make your final selection process all that easier.