5 Things to look out for on University Visits

I have lost count of the number of families I have spoken to who have come back from a university open day saying exactly the same thing.

"It looked lovely."

That is absolutely fine as a first impression, but it is also exactly what the university wants you to think. Open days are marketing events. There is nothing wrong with that. Every university is trying to present itself in the best possible light, just as any business would. The campus is tidy, student ambassadors are enthusiastic, accommodation is looking its best and everyone seems genuinely pleased to see you.

The mistake I sometimes see families make is assuming that is enough. Choosing a university is a huge decision. For most students, it is where they will spend the next three or four years of their life. They will probably make lifelong friendships there, study for thousands of hours and, in many cases, live away from home for the first time.

So, whenever I visit universities with families or speak to students afterwards, there are a few things I always encourage them to think about beyond the glossy prospectus.

1. Can you actually picture yourself living here?

This might sound obvious, but I genuinely think it is the most important question.

Forget the rankings for a moment. Forget what your friends are doing.

Can you imagine yourself walking around this campus on a cold Tuesday morning in February? Could you see yourself popping into the local supermarket, meeting friends for a coffee, going for a run or simply spending a quiet afternoon in the library? It is amazing how often students focus entirely on the university and forget about the place surrounding it. Remember, you are not just choosing a course. You are choosing a town or city that is going to become home for the next few years.

I have spoken to students who loved the university but never really felt comfortable in the city itself. Equally, I have known students who were unsure about a university at first but absolutely loved the atmosphere of the place and ended up having a fantastic few years there.

Pay attention to how the place makes you feel because that instinct is often worth listening to.

2. Talk to students who are not part of the open day

Student ambassadors are usually brilliant.

They are friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely proud of their university. Just remember they have also been chosen because they represent the university well. If you get the opportunity, have a conversation with students who are simply going about their day. Ask them what they enjoy, what frustrates them, if they could change one thing about the university, what would it be?

Every university has strengths and weaknesses. Most students are surprisingly honest if you ask them politely. Some of the best conversations I have ever had on university visits have been completely unplanned. They have happened in cafés, libraries or while waiting for a campus tour to begin.

Those conversations often tell you far more than any presentation.

3. Look beyond the lecture theatres

Universities understandably spend a lot of time showing impressive buildings.

That is important, but I would be far more interested in seeing the places where students actually spend most of their time. Visit the library. Walk into the students' union, have a look at the study spaces, find out where students eat between lectures, look at the sports facilities if those matter to you.

If possible, wander around once the organised tour has finished… some campuses feel completely different when you are exploring them on your own rather than following somebody with a loudspeaker.

Those extra thirty minutes often tell you far more than the official tour.

4. Ask awkward questions

I always think families are sometimes a little too polite.

Universities expect questions. In fact, they welcome them. Ask how many hours students actually spend in lectures each week. Ask what happens if somebody is struggling academically. Ask about careers support and work placements. Ask how easy it is to change courses if a student realises they have made the wrong choice. Ask about accommodation after first year because that catches quite a few students by surprise.

The answers themselves matter, but so does the way they are answered. If somebody gives you a thoughtful, honest response, that tells you something about the university. If everything sounds a little rehearsed, that tells you something as well.

5. Ignore the marketing for a few minutes

This is probably the piece of advice I give most often.

Universities are brilliant at telling you why they are different. The facilities are world class, the student experience is outstanding, the employability figures are excellent, you will hear very similar phrases almost everywhere you go.

Instead of asking yourself whether the university is impressive, ask a slightly different question.

Is it impressive for me?

That is a very different thing. The highest ranked university is not automatically the right university. A beautiful campus is not automatically the right campus. The course with the highest entry requirements is not automatically the right course. The right university is usually the place where a student is going to be happy, challenged, supported and motivated to do well.

Those things are much harder to measure than a league table, but in my experience they are far more important.

One final thought

I sometimes meet families who visit ten or twelve universities before making a decision.

Others visit two and immediately know which one feels right. There is no perfect number… What I would say is that open days are about much more than collecting prospectuses and comparing rankings.

They are an opportunity to imagine what life might actually look like for the next three or four years. If you come away knowing a little more about the course, the support available and whether you can genuinely picture yourself living there, then it has been a worthwhile visit. If you simply come away saying, "The buildings were nice," I would probably suggest booking another visit.

It is one of the biggest decisions a young person will make and it is worth taking the time to get it right.