Most colleges held open days during the Autumn term. Some students didn’t get there, and others might have changed their minds about where they want to go.
And some might have attended but didn’t put the time spent there to the best use for one reason or another.
The good news is that from now until June most colleges run Winter and Spring open days; others run virtual information evenings/webinars, and almost all have very good virtual tours/information sessions on their websites.
Several on-campus open days/evenings are planned for the coming weeks:
- Wednesday, January 15 – SETU Carlow;
- Saturday, January 18 – Mary I, UL and DKIT – ;
- Wednesday, January 22 – Shannon College of Hotel Management and ATU Donegal;
- Saturday, January 25 – NCI and ATU Galway;
- Thursday, January 30 – ATU Sligo and St Angela’s.
Online events and webinars happening in January include:
- Tuesday, January 14 – Maynooth, DCU and DBS ;
- Wednesday, January 15 – UCC and TUD;
- Thursday, January 23 – Carlow College.
In addition, many colleges organise virtual information sessions specific to courses such as Business, Engineering, Law etc.
Information sessions and open days for PLCs (Post Leaving Cert Courses) begin this week too. Click here for events and dates.
I will feature PLCs in an article here over the coming weeks.
Useful Tips
First thing to do is decide which ones interest you most. Then register to attend.
The listings above are live links that bring you to the registration page.
In advance do as much on-line research as you can about the college and the courses you are interested in and use the open day to fill the missing information gaps.
Without doubt the more you know before you get there the more you will get out of the event.
Plan your day otherwise you can feel swamped and overwhelmed. Most open days have a variety of talks planned.
You won’t get to attend all of them, so become familiar with the timetable and plan which ones you want to attend.
Familiarise yourself with the campus map as well. There’s nothing worse than getting lost and turning up late for a talk.
When there, have a look at the canteen, on-campus shop, library, sports facilities etc., and be sure to look into the clubs and societies on offer too.
Consider how accessible the college is for public transport users and look at parking facilities if you intend to drive.
Be sure to talk to current students as well as lecturers. Keep in mind that all colleges are trying to make themselves sound as attractive as possible.
Have your list of questions ready. Your time there will be limited so advance planning is essential.
If you are still unsure about course details such as weekly timetable contact hours, how the course is assessed, numbers accepted onto the course, placement/intern opportunities, Erasmus opportunities, use the open day to fill that information gap.
Also check out what student supports are in place. Use your time to take a look at campus accommodation.
Prices, standards and proximity to lecture halls can vary hugely. Enquire about their selection system.
Is it for first years only? Is it first come first served or is random selection in place?
Make sure to enquire about alternative off-campus accommodation also.
Follow here for reminders of application opening and closing dates.
With virtual open days/information sessions forward planning is equally as important.
Make sure you understand the format of the event.
It might be a live question and answer session allowing you access to lecturers and students, or it might be a non-interactive webinar.
Finally, make the most of the opportunities these open day offer.
You will be spending the next four years there, so any effort you put in to finding out about the college and the course will pay huge dividends. Enjoy the process!
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See Goldsarcareers.ie and Instagram for more information.
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