If you want to attend a university Open Day you now have two choices - join an on-campus day or take part in a virtual event.

You probably know what to expect from the more traditional on-campus experience, but how can you make the most of a virtual Open Day?

The good news is that a virtual Open Day is about as close to the on-campus experience as you can get - you'll join insightful talks ranging from finance to accommodation, you'll explore subject fairs, take part in virtual tours of the campus and city, and much more.

Below, we’ve listed five tips to ensure your virtual open day is as informative, insightful and inspiring as an in-person one. 

Contents:

1. Prepare questions

2. Allocate a quiet space with good WiFi connection

3. Take advantage of the help that's available  

4. Take advantage of live chat

5. Sign up for any newsletters and connect with universities on social media

1. Prepare questions

There’s no doubt your teachers have stressed to you the importance of preparing questions ahead of an Open Day, but it’s with good reason! Virtual Open Days are no exception to this cardinal rule of university research. 

Make notes of the things you’d like to ask ahead of the event. Your questions and areas of interest can help you prioritise which talks to go to, and how you can structure your time.

What’s more, preparing your questions ensures you won’t forget anything. 

Through the live chat functionality you can ask anything, from how many lectures there are per week for a particular course and how courses are assessed, to what gigs and parties happen in the Students’ Union each month. 

If you’re attending lots of virtual Open Days, you can ask these questions multiple times and compare the answers to see which university wins you over.

2. Allocate a quiet space with good WiFi connection

Before logging on, make sure you’re seated comfortably, in a quiet space where you'll be free from interruptions.

Sit as close as possible to your router to avoid any sudden drops in connection. If your internet is known to be a little temperamental, why not ask your family if they can avoid bandwidth-hungry activities for a couple of hours?

Online activities such as watching videos on YouTube, enjoying video calls, or playing online games with friends can really slow down the internet for everyone else. A better signal means you'll be able to clearly hear each talk and get all the information you need.

3. Take advantage of the help that's available  

Much like an on-campus Open Day, virtual Open Days are jam-packed with lectures, introductory talks, tours and more. But finding your way around a virtual platform when you're sitting at home in your pyjamas surrounded by distractions can be difficult.

That doesn't mean there isn't help available to point you in the right direction. Many virtual Open Days have an information point and even offer videos with welcome talks and helpful signposting suggesting where to go next.

It's natural to want to dive right in and figure your own way around, but engaging with the welcome videos and stopping by the information point are great ways to maximise your time on the virtual Open Day, and make sure you get the answers you need.

4. Take advantage of live chat

We’ve all been in group situations where we have a question but feel self-conscious or worried about speaking up in case we look stupid to our peers. On a traditional Open Day, in an imposing lecture hall packed with prospective students, the thought of doing that can be particularly intimidating.

However, a bonus of a virtual Open Day is that that stress is actually taken away. Live chats are a safe, judgement-free space to ask all your burning questions - no matter how silly you think they may seem. Speak with lecturers, students and more to hear directly from those who know the courses and university inside out. 

This is a great opportunity to explore whether your chosen course is right for you, or perhaps be directed into another area by someone who shares your interests and feels an alternative degree is a better fit.

5. Sign up for any newsletters and connect with universities on social media

Many of us are guilty of walking away from a talk or event and realising we didn’t ask that all-important question we’d been sitting on for days. Fortunately, many universities (including Newcastle) feature Q&A sessions across social media channels. 

Keep an eye on our social channels to stay abreast of any upcoming opportunities to speak with faculty and students again. 

Sign up for relevant newsletters and follow social accounts to get advice on how to manage your journey and what you can expect when you start your dream degree.