5 questions to ask at an Open Day

I’m sure like me you’re thinking that you want the day to be worth the journey and get everything you can out of it. As a student ambassador I’m here to show you how to do just that. The student ambassadors can be easily identified by their purple outfits on the day. They will lead campus tours, ensure you are feeling welcomed, but most importantly they will answer the many questions that you no doubt will have. Here are just a few suggestions of handy questions to ask.

1. What is Leeds like as a city?

This question can sometimes fly under your radar, as sometimes you are so caught up with the university you forget to explore the city too. This question was crucial to me as I had never been to Leeds before and had no idea what to expect or where to start. I didn’t know where anything was, so at the Open Day I asked a student ambassador for advice on places to go in the city, with such classics as “do you know where the closest spoons is?” This helped me to get an idea about where everything was, making this new city much less scary. With a bit of local insight, I was then able to get excited about exploring places in the city such as the corn exchange, which to learn that they do not in fact exchange corn there…devastated me. It is in fact a shopping centre with lots of quirky independent shops, a must see if you’ve got some time on the day.

2. What are the study resources and facilities like at the university?

The majority of university is focused on self-study outside of lectures and seminars, so it’s good to ask this question to see what kind of places or other resources are available to you and where. Resources such as the library are invaluable with countless books, and various IT services, computers and there is study support that the library offers online. It’s also good to ask about the access to facilities that will support your studies. My top tip would be to ask this a few times to different ambassadors about the course you are thinking of doing, as resources can be course specific. For example I am studying Filmmaking so I wanted to know if they have the best cameras, or the best studios for me. It's important to ask specifically with your course in mind. The libraries and most of the facilities will be open for you to look around on the day, so definitely take that opportunity.

3. Do you get on well with your lecturers?

This I feel is an important one, since you are going to be spending the next three years with these people, it’s good to get a sense of what your lecturers will be like. Do they have a friendly personality? Are they supportive with work and wellbeing? Do they push you to achieve everything you are capable of? From my experience in the Film School, the lecturers are still engaged in the industry and have lots of connections, so they can provide us with this up-to-date wealth of experience. It’s also important to see if they are easy to get along with which from my experience, they are.

4. What support is available to students?

University can sometimes be stressful, but nothing ever worth doing isn’t. However, it’s important to remember that your feelings matter. I found it useful to ask ambassadors if they feel supported and how the university have helped them, as they are human and have no doubt gone through the same thought process as you. It’s important to ask this to see what services the uni can offer you to make sure your time at university a good one.

5. Why should I choose Leeds Beckett?

This is the question that you need to be asking ambassadors because it’s important for you to hear different viewpoints on what separates this university from the pack. Every uni and course are different, and every potential student will have their own wants and needs in their course. For example, I chose Leeds Beckett because I want to go into the film industry and so therefore I needed to have a practical course where I could get hands on experience. Leeds Beckett offered that, along with resources, a chance to study abroad, and the new LSA building which hosts a massive community of talented and friendly creatives.

All these are just suggestions, of course its up to you on what you want to ask. But as a pro in this I would suggest you don’t be afraid to grill them! Not literally but make an arsenal of questions to throw at them. This is no small decision; university is a big leap, and you must be sure that leap is one you want to take. There’s a lot to take in but don’t be scared, this is an exciting experience. It will give you memories and friends for life and influence you as a person much more than you think. This is the next chapter of your life, time to get excited!