Going to College
College open days are coming up and it is vital to plan and prepare ahead
October and November are the busiest months for college open days and career events. Universities and institutes of technology are holding events aimed at attracting the class of 2020 to their institutions. While most will hold a number of open days or evenings during the year, the autumn open days are an important step in the essential ‘research and reflect’ process.
During open days, students are invited to roam the campus, speak to college representatives and experience a little taste of college life. These can be overwhelming events for those who are not organised: crowds of people, unfamiliar language and huge campuses can leave second-level students feeling more than a little lost.
But with proper planning and preparation, a college open day can allow students to find their dream course or bring some certainty to the mind of the most indecisive.
The ‘events’ sections on qualifax.ie and careersportal.ie are excellent starting points and will give an overview of all events happening in the next couple of months. It is possible to restrict your search by institution — dates can also be found on the web pages of each one.
It is essential that Leaving Cert students make every effort to attend these events on a Saturday. This is especially important if their school offers one-hour classes, as missing a day will potentially leave students with large holes in their knowledge and make the job of revising more difficult.
Institutions tend to hold another open day in spring and sometimes there may be a third, around the ‘change of mind’ period.
Some colleges have one main open day, but subject departments may also run open evenings to complement this. Leaving Cert students should sit down with a calendar and plan their term now to prevent these sneaking up. Individual higher education institutions offer as many as 50, or more, courses, but even if students plan to visit a small college, it is essential to complete some research before attending.
All too often, second-level students underestimate how large and different these institutions are — size can be overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to begin. So begin at home!
Students should take out the prospectus or head to the website and explore the courses on offer. Don’t presume to know what a course is from the title and at least skim the descriptions of all courses, even if the title suggests it may not be for you. The goal is to find as many ‘maybe’ courses as possible to fill the 20 slots on the CAO form. They can be narrowed down later.
Next, students should go through the course descriptions of those they find appealing, making a list of questions they would like answered.
College websites contain lists of talks and events, which help attendees plan their day. There will also be a map of the campus and often information about travel via public transport.
Students should include time to visit facilities such as gyms or campus accommodation and, in general, soak up the atmosphere.
Planning is key to making the most of an open day and getting the best understanding of what it might be like to be a full-time student in the future.