Open Events are the perfect opportunity to get a feel for what life is like at College, as well as finding out about what your options are. First impressions are very important, and your expectation could be exceeded by what you find, or it could completely change your mind about what you want to do.
Unless you have a sibling or friend who already goes to the College, it’s likely that an open event will be your first experience of the College, and even just being inside the building. A lot of people have preconceptions about what College is like, but are often surprised when they walk through the doors and get talking to our staff and students.
So what happens at an open event?
You can expect to be greeted at the door by our friendly Front of House team who will register you and find out what you’re interested in looking at. You might be heading straight towards a certain area, want to attend a talk, or just have a wander around – it’s up to you! You will be provided with a map of the campus that will tell you which classrooms are open and where to go for talks and refreshments. You may also be provided with a prospectus so you can decide what catches your eye, and what you might like to learn more about. It’s important that you can picture yourself being in the environment – after all you’ll be here for a large chunk of your time over the next few years.
Once you're done in the classrooms, you can head to the Application Zone to get your application done and dusted, and enquire about additional support available, such as Learning Support, Student Finance and Careers Guidance. Our Apprenticeships team will also be based in the Application Zone, and will be ready to answer any questions and let you know what doing an apprenticeship means!
Events Co-Ordinator at MK College, Steph Harman, advised: "Our open events engage and excite potential students as they are able see first-hand the type of things they will be doing on their course and what facilities the specific areas have as they showcase their area".
Plan ahead and do some research
All subject areas will be present at the respective campuses. You can check here which courses are at which campus (make sure you double check), so you’ll be able to visit all of them if you want to. Think about what you want to get out of the visit. Are you deciding between Sixth Form and College? If so, what criteria are you looking for? If you’re stuck between a few subjects, what is on your check list?
Classrooms will be set up to show you what kind of activities you can expect to be doing on that course. Tutors will be present to talk to you and your parents about the ins and outs of the course, entry requirements, their industry experience, what the courses actually include, and progression options.
Make sure you ask about things that could sway your decision – for example does the course include any written exams? How much of the course is practical and how much is theoretical? What will your timetable look like? Also make sure you take down the tutors’ name and e-mail address in case you think of any other questions when you get home.
Speak to our current students
The best people to tell you what life at College is like, are the people who do it every day! Our friendly Student Ambassadors attend every open event and are ready to answer any of your questions and take you through a day in the life at MK College. They can give you the inside scoop on where to get the best food, the best areas to chill out in and even travel options to get to and from College. You’re probably a bit worried about meeting new people and making new friends – they’ll be able to reassure you that you’ve got nothing to be concerned about, as they were once in your shoes.
What did our students say?
We took to our Instagram page to find out what our students thought of our open events. Here's what they said:
"It looked very friendly and welcoming, and I could tell that I would definitely like to spend the next two years here" - @h4nn4ah_bc
"It was good and gave a good representation of the College" - @l.d53
