As a parent or guardian, you’ll play an important role in your child’s journey to tertiary studies, as well as their experience once they’ve arrived. Whether you help them make some all-important decisions, support them with funds or simply offer your advice as they take this big step, you’re bound to be involved in one way or another.
As you start to explore options with your child, it’s likely you’ll attend an Open Day or two, whether that’s on-campus nearby or virtually. Here are the seven most important areas you need to cover on Open Day, including relevant questions to ask and things to look out for as you engage with a range of universities.
Facilities
The facilities on offer to your child throughout their tertiary experience are important, as they’ll contribute directly to their learning experience. Depending on what they’re studying, the facilities available could make or break their time at university, college or TAFE.
- What types of learning facilities are offered to enhance both your child’s learning and real-world experiences?
- If they’re studying a technical or hands-on degree, are the facilities up to scratch? Will they have everything they need to learn?
- What kind of sporting and recreational facilities does the institution offer? Think about gyms, pools, fields or courts, theatres and anything else you think your child may want to access on campus.
Degrees and courses
Ultimately, when your child heads off to uni, it’s to get an education that will prepare them for their future career. So, it’s a non-negotiable that their prospective university offers not only what they want to study, but the best possible version of that.
- How long will your child be studying?
- What are the entry requirements?
- What is involved in the application process?
- What pathway opportunities are available for your child’s chosen degree or course?
- What kind of courses can they take within their degree?
- Is this the best possible version of their degree? What kind of opportunities will they be able to access?
Learning and support
Everyone learns differently, and some institutions acknowledge and address this better than others. Most unis will have on-site learning support options, but this is definitely something you should ask about at Open Day.
- Will your child have access to their professors and tutors outside of class hours?
- Does the university offer student learning support services such as workshops or tutoring?
- Are there networks and communities your child can get involved with?
Graduate opportunities
A university or college’s graduate outcomes can say a lot about the academic services they offer. Find out as much as you can about both your child’s chosen degree and how the institution itself supports its graduates.
- What are the graduate outcomes for your child’s chosen degree?
- Is career support and planning guidance offered? Does this continue after they graduate or stop when they leave uni?
- What kind of work experience opportunities are available?
- Are there international opportunities, such as study abroad and volunteering, available?
Fees
Financing options can be a huge driver behind your child’s choice of university. Ensure that you know the lay of the land when it comes to HECS or FEE-HELP, scholarships, grants and payment plans.
- What kind of grants and scholarships are on offer? What are the requirements and application deadlines?
- Will your child be able to access a government loan such as HECS or FEE-HELP to fund their degree?
Parking and accommodation
Finally, consider logistics. Where your child lives, how they get to uni and how much they’ll need to factor into their budget for these things are all important things to think about before they receive their letter of offer.
- Is parking available on campus? What are the associated parking fees?
- If your child is planning on moving out of home or the uni or college is far away from their hometown, what accommodation options are available?
Of course, if there’s anything else you’d like to know about an institution, Open Day is the best place to do it! Equipped with these questions you’ll be ready to learn and take in the information necessary to help them make the right choice.
Explore Bond's Open Days for 2021
So nice, we're doing it twice - this year we're giving you two Open Day experiences. Tune in virtually on Saturday, 24 July, and head to campus on Saturday, 7 August.