KEY RESOURCES

• Please download a list of dates for Victoria, NSW and Canberra. This has been developed by the Careers Team.
• Study Work Grow has just released their Open Day Guide! This covers dates for most Australian institutions.

INTRODUCTION TO OPEN DAYS

Think about buying your first car. This is a big moment! You will research different models, visit car dealerships, explore and compare prices and safety features, take cars for test drives and analyse your budget. You might have to get a bank loan, or borrow a little from the ‘bank of mum and dad’.

Now think about uni. Like a car it will be expensive, you will want to find the right ‘fit’ for you, and you want to be excited about where you’ll be studying at for the next several years.

OPEN DAYS ARE ESSENTIAL

In August and September universities will open their doors to the public for a day. Apart from being heaps of fun (think live bands, free food, uni mascots walking around campus wearing oversized costumes, demonstrations, competitions, giveaways and workshops), you will be able to do the following:

• Attend information sessions on the courses you’re interested in
• Speak directly to course advisers, lecturers, current students and faculty advisers
• Tour the campus, labs, and accommodation
• Talk to different clubs, societies, and sports teams. There are clubs for everything. Love Taylor Swift? There will probably be a Club. Love cheese? Yep, a Club for this to. Cheerleading? Join the Club!
• Learn about global exchange, student leadership programs, internships
• Get information about services such as disability support, counselling, legal advice, and onsite medical services (e.g., pharmacy, doctors).
• Learn about scholarships and financial assistance.

SHOULD PARENTS GO?

Absolutely! Parents sometimes have different questions than students and are looking for different information, such as on-site campus security, job outcomes for courses, and financial support. It’s crucial to for both students and families to gather information together and then assess it as a team. The following is Shona Stanton’s perspective of the Swinburne Open Day she took her daughter Charlotte to:

I attended the Swinburne University Open Day with Charlotte on Sunday 31 July 2022.  We were both excited for the opportunity to look at the place she may be spending her next 4-years. I am so glad we went.

The day was exciting and informative. We learnt about the course Charlotte was interested in and the different pathways she could take in her tertiary education. Charlotte also had an opportunity to speak directly to the lecturers and current students studying the course.

For me, I loved the reassurance of taking a tour of the campus to learn about the residential accommodation options, student benefits including onsite medical and health services, campus security, parking/transport, and student support services. Getting to chat directly to current students that have come from regional areas was also a plus.

The whole experience was really beneficial, and it was reassuring as a parent to be there in person. I am really excited for Charlotte and what Uni life has to offer her.

PERSPECTIVE OF STUDENTS

The following are stories from Catholic College graduate Charlotte Stanton and current Year 12 student Anthena Palapay.

Charlotte Stanton (Class of 2022)

On Sunday the 31st of July 2022 I went to Swinburne’s open day.  I started off by going to a talk about my course and my potential major. The talk included how the course is structured, and possible career paths that students can take. I was also able to meet my future lecturers and department leaders.

I also went to my courses pop-up stall and was able to speak to current students and ask any questions I had. There were activities, free food, and information stalls everywhere, with incredibly kind and welcoming people to answer all your questions.

However, the best thing I got out of going to an open day was the ability to see what Swinburne is all about. I got to tour the campus and student accommodation and see which apartment style would be the best fit for me next year. Going to an open day not only gave me the answers to many of the questions I had about living on campus and uni life, but also gave me peace of mind that I was choosing the best course and university for me. I was able to picture what my life would be like at Swinburne and it made me incredibly excited for this next stage in my life.

Anthena Palapay (Class of 2024)

Open days provide many great opportunities for students who are interested in going to university.

When it comes to year 11 and 12, students often feel overwhelmed by the amount of decision making they have to do. And there’s nothing better than a chance to ask questions to other students who have experienced this themselves. The open day at Australian National University gave me a chance to meet with students and teachers who helped me gain a better understanding of the opportunities that await me at the end of my studies.

I am currently a student in year 11, and I often feel that everyone around me already has their life planned out for them. However, by getting advice directly from the university community, I found that many other students had experienced the same thing. Many of the students that related to this experience, had told me how much they loved ANU because of its flexibility. At this university, you can take a flexible double degree course which is something that not many students are able to do.

If you’re like me, you’re probably a curious person who loves to learn about a wide variety of subjects. By being able to take a flexible double degree course, you can expand your knowledge on two different study areas at the same time.

The students studying at ANU said that this helped them be more open minded to other career choices, which is exactly the kind of opportunity I was looking for. Not only did the students give me information on courses and subjects, but they also gave me a lot of reassurance that feeling overwhelmed over career choices was completely okay. I was able to truly build a connection with the mentors, teachers and students that were running the open day, and I found many answers to questions I had for my studies.

In addition to the wide variety of courses being offered and the helpful advice, I also really loved the environment surrounding ANU. Many universities are found in busy cities. However, ANU is placed in a very peaceful area. There are many trees, rivers and gardens within the university where students can sit down and enjoy nature. The university’s campus is very large and wide-spread. But pretty much every resource is walking distance. They even have a mini town in the very middle of the campus. I suggest you go and see it yourself, it is truly worth it.

The university has many study halls and recreational facilities. There are also shops and many cafes and restaurants. The students at ANU are provided with all the necessary resources that they may need. I was also given the chance to tour accommodations at Bruce Hall which was very exciting. I was able to talk to other students about what it was like to live on campus. They all recommended living on campus for students who were just starting university. They said that “Living on campus for your first few years can help you make more friends and adjust to the university environment”.

Bruce Hall was a large building so it had many areas dedicated to certain activities. They had small kitchens, a main wing, a laundry room, living rooms (multiple), they even had a game room! Everyone seemed very happy to be around each other and it was a very welcoming community.

I was glad I decided to go to the ANU open day because it was truly an amazing experience. Going there can really help you to find out what you’re curious about and the many pathways that can lead you to the future that you want. The open day at the Australian National University can help you eliminate any doubts or questions that you have, so that you can finally start taking a step towards your chosen pathway.

Below: Past students Angus Bergman, Nicola Crampton, and Brianna Ballard. They attended open days in Canberra.