Virtual open days vs. Physical open days: Which are better for you?

It’s coming up to open day season at UK universities, with most universities offering the chance for you to visit their campuses during June, July, September and October. These events can attract anything from a few hundred to a few thousand visitors and are designed so you can get a feel for their university, learn about their courses, facilities and student life, and generally help you make informed decisions before you apply.

During the pandemic, most universities closed their doors and moved all these events on-line, cobbling together the best they could with a variety of on-line platforms. And who knew? Students actually seemed to quite like it! Their virtual open days got better and slicker, and now more or less every university offers both virtual and in-person open day events.

However, some of my former colleagues have been noticing a new, and potentially worrying trend: many of you are admitting to being pretty anxious about attending physical open days, and are just not convinced that you want to go.

Now, this isn’t entirely new. For as long as universities have been around, they have seemed like quite intimidating places. They are, after all, places of learning and study, where ‘clever’ people go, and if you’ve never visited, you might think they are a little strange and scary. But I think there is a new aspect to the anxiety that some of you are feeling, which is connected to the pandemic, and the reliance that you have had to have on on-line learning and online socialising.

Honestly, I think if you take the fact that universities can be pretty intimidating and add it to the fact that you have done a lot of your learning online, then you have a pretty legitimate reason to be slightly anxious about heading off to a big open day at a completely new place!

So, how do you decide when its best to look at virtual open days, and when you might want to take the plunge and attend a real, in-person, physical open day? Let’s have a closer look at each.

Virtual open days

During a virtual event, you can expect to find a whole bunch of online resources that give you information about the university, its courses, facilities and student life. These might include pre-recorded videos, live Q&A sessions with staff and students, virtual tours of the campus and facilities, plus other downloadable brochures and prospectuses. Some universities will have social media student take-overs to coincide with the event, so that you can get a better sense of the community and culture through their different channels. Others will offer one-to-one online consultations with academic staff to discuss specific subject areas.

A great example coming up can be found at University of Southampton’s ‘First look’ events, a series of six sessions across three days, giving a first look at the city, the application journey, finance, student life, accommodation and careers. Similarly, Lancaster University are offering a ‘Discover Lancaster’ event: two days of events and sessions, with the first day focusing on general matters and the second focusing on specific subjects.

So, what are the benefits?

Firstly, convenience: you can access the events from anywhere in the world. Secondly, cost: you don’t have to pay the train or bus fare to get there. Finally, flexibility: you can dip in and out of sessions as you wish, and can really focus in on the areas that interest you most.

And the disadvantages?

Bluntly, you are never going to get the same level of interaction with staff and current students as you do on a physical open day. And you are never going to get the same depth of experience with the people, nor the emotional feel of a physical visit. Plus technical gremlins can appear, whether at your end, or at the university end, and severely spoil any on-line event.

The reality with virtual events is that if all you do is watch a couple of videos and read the comments in a Q&A session, then you really haven’t been involved in an event at all. You’d probably do just as well exploring the website, youtube channels and social media pages in your own time. However, if you plan what you will be doing with the event, go all-in on the Q&A sessions (switch your camera on 😀), connect one-to-one where this is available, and take the time to watch the sessions that are really relevant to you, then you’ll probably find a virtual open day is a pretty good way to find out a lot about a university all in one go!

Physical open days

At a physical open day, you can expect a far more immersive and interactive day on campus. You'll have the opportunity to explore the university's facilities and buildings in person, attend talks and presentations by academic staff, visit departmental stands, speak with staff and current students, and take part in tours of the campus and accommodation. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions with staff and current students throughout the day, and get a much more personal insight into university life. Some universities will also offer workshops or taster sessions in specific programs or research areas, plus information about admissions and funding.

So, what are the benefits?

Well, the obvious reality is that you will see the places and people for real, which is massively important if you actually want to see yourself living and studying there. You won’t just see the things that the university wants to show you, but far more besides! And as there will typically be loads of different events and sessions during the day, you can really tailor the day to your specific interests.

And the disadvantages?

Clearly the cost, as travel can be expensive. The time commitment, as either the events will be on weekdays, eating into your school time, or at weekends, potentially conflicting with part-time work or other commitments. And some of these events can be a bit overwhelming, with large crowds and multiple events at a time.

Still, with careful planning and advance booking of travel you can counter most of the disadvantages, making a physical visit much the most worthwhile way to get a proper feel for a university.

My advice?

Virtual events are a great way to get a first impression of a university. That’s why Southampton call theirs ‘First look’! But they are no replacement for the real thing. Unless you are living outside the UK, you’d be crazy to fill up your UCAS application form with five choices of universities that you’ve never visited. So make sure you go and visit at least one or two of your top choices.

However, don’t feel you have to visit every single choice right now, before you apply. Virtually all universities will invite you to visit after they make you offer. These offer holder events will normally be a bit smaller, and more focussed on your subject, and give you a second chance to find out which university should be your first choice.

What next?

If you liked this article, why not have a look at: Things to see, do and ask on an Open Day