7 Tips To Make The Most Out Of Open Evenings

Open evenings are the perfect opportunity to get a feel for college. You’ll be able to ask important questions, take a tour of campus, meet your lecturers, and see how college life suits you.  

Getting the most out of an open evening is the best way to make an informed decision on where you’d like to study. Not sure where to start or what questions to ask? We’ve compiled a list of top tips for attending an open evening: 

1. Get Prepared

Before you attend an open evening, think about the subject areas you’d like to see and what you’d like to learn more about. Lecturers and students will be available to speak about the college and their courses, so having a plan can ensure you don’t walk away with unanswered questions. 

It’s also a good idea to think about a backup. You may be focused on one subject area, but open evenings allow you to explore other course options too. Make the most of the open event and see what another course covers – you may just surprise yourself! 

2. Don’t forget to ask important questions

There are three primary areas of college that you’ll want answered. These include: 

• Life at College 

How will I get to campus? What will my week look like, and will I be at college every day? How is college different to school? 

• Subjects and Course Details 

What areas does this course cover? What are the career prospects after completing the course? How can I apply? 

• Support and Student Life 

What do student mentors do? What grades will I need to get into college? What facilities does the college have? 

Your questions matter and asking lecturers or students is key to making the most of an open evening.  

3. Explore the campus

Being free to look around the campus buildings, classrooms, and spaces that students use will help you get an idea of life at college. Classrooms and facilities will be open for you to explore and see what current students are working on, while canteen areas will give you an idea of where you’ll go during your breaks. 

Many campuses have unique features too. Look at our Forest of Dean Campus, which features stunning Steam Mills Lake, our Gloucester Campus with the old Priory buildings, and our Cheltenham campus with ADA, our Advanced Digital Academy. You’ll spend a lot of time on campus, so settling into your surroundings is important. 

4. Attend a welcome talk

A welcome talk takes place at the beginning of an open event and will cover a wide range of information on the college.  Whether you’ve got your heart set on your next steps or you’re still weighing up your options, attending a talk will give you an introduction to our courses, student support, student successes and more – all of which will help you decide if GC is the right place to help you achieve.

5. Bring company

Getting a parent, guardian or friend to come along can help boost your confidence or help ask the questions you’d like to know – We're here to answer any and all questions! They may have been through a similar situation when it comes to choosing their next steps, so having them tag along can help you in your own decision making.

6. Take a prospectus flyer

Everyone loves a good prospectus! Our prospectuses are now available online which makes it easier than ever to scan through whilst you're waiting for your welcome talk or read after the evening. It’s also a good starting point to see the vast array of subject areas we offer – many of which you won’t have the option to study at school. 

You can read our digital prospectus here. 

7. Note down what you’ve learned

It can be easy to walk away from an open evening and forget most of what you’ve learnt. Writing down your gut feelings and reactions will guide you when looking back after visiting several colleges and schools.  

Even if it’s the simple things like what you liked on campus or if a career perked your interest, these thoughts all contribute to reflecting on what’s best for you.  

Join us for our next open evenings and sign up in under 60 seconds via the link below: