Open Days are an important part of the university application process.
They are your chance to visit the place you wish to make your home and get a feel of what university life will be like.
As well, they are your opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have about the course you wish to apply to.
But what questions should you ask at a Natural Science open day?
General Natural Science Questions
These general questions are the basics you need to know about the course, which tutors can better explain to you.
One such question might even be, “what is Natural Sciences?”
It may seem counterproductive to be at a Natural Science open day asking what Natural Science is but remember that the point of an open day is to help you decide what courses you wish to apply to.
You might be conflicted between Natural Science and a single Science subject, and worry whether the former is less well-regarded – this is a good time to voice these concerns.
Chances are you have not fully decided what courses to apply to so knowing exactly what the subject is, is essential.
Related to this, you can ask how the course works and what modules you have to take.
If you are applying for more than one Natural Science degree, say at Cambridge and at Bath, this is an effective way to differentiate between the courses and know what course you have a preference for.
Another important consideration to ask about on an open day would be the entry requirements.
You could ask what the typical entry requirements are so that you have an idea of what you need to be aiming for and whether you have a realistic chance of being accepted.
This is also a good time to confirm what subject combinations they accept and what subjects are required for particular modules.
You may also wish to ask what the process is like if you do not reach the grade requirements. It is best to have these questions answered as early as possible.
Looking either further to the future, you could ask about the career prospects a Natural Science offers, which will also help demonstrate your interest and dedication to the subject.
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Natural Science Personal Statement Questions
Who better to ask what you should write in your Personal Statement than the very people who are going to be reading it?
It may seem like an inappropriate question to ask, but these are the people who will be deciding who to Interview and admit so understanding what they are looking for will be of a huge benefit.
The open day is your opportunity to speak to these academics and draw as much knowledge from them that you can use as part of your application.
You could even ask them if they recommend any reading or activities that you could read and later reference in your Personal Statement, as wider reading is something Admissions Tutors look for and are often a discussion point in your Interview.
Current Natural Science Student Questions
Talking to students currently already studying the course is incredibly beneficial, and the reason they are present at the open day.
Some of them would have been in your position a year ago so know how you are feeling and will have a lot of helpful advice.
Make sure to get their thoughts on the university and what life is there like. Maybe they have recommendations about where to live or where is best for socialising on the weekend.
Ask them their thoughts on the course so far to have a better understanding of what it is like. The sort of questions you could ask them would be “what is the teaching like,” “what are the facilities like,” “what support do you get,” and “what are field trips like?”
Those are all questions you could likely find the answer to in a prospectus but hearing it from someone currently studying the subject is totally different and brings a sense of reality to it.
Real-world experiences are valuable and any opportunity to gain insight from someone is to be seized.
Do not be afraid to ask questions about the more negative aspects of university, it is better to know ahead of time and saves you the experience of finding out yourself.
It helps to know if your lectures are at the top of a steep hill that you need to climb each day, if you should avoid a particular area of town, or if there is any antisocial behaviour that goes on.
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Other Questions To Ask At A Natural Science Open Day
Of course, you are not just wanting to find out about the course.
Knowing about the university and life in the city is important as well.
Make sure to look around the halls of residence, or the colleges if you are applying to Cambridge, to get a feel of what they are like. You are most probably being shown the best on offer, but this is a great fact-finding opportunity.
Asking questions such as ‘what happens after the first year?’ is essential, especially if you are applying to Cambridge as not all colleges allow you to live in for the duration of your degree.
If you are interested in societies and other opportunities, make sure to ask about these. This could simply be asking what sports and societies are even available to you.
Other concerns you may have that you wish to ask somebody about may be related to everyday costs. This will be your first time living on your own so the question of money will be an important one.
Why not ask, if they are comfortable with it, current students how they budget and manage their finances. You could ask them what part-time work is available, and importantly the extent to which you would be able to do it.
If you are considering doing a year abroad or year in industry, make sure to ask how doing so would affect your tuition costs.
The questions you can ask are endless.
Conclusion
It is important that you make the most of the opportunity an open day offers you and ask all the burning questions you may have – it is the point of them after all.
There is no wrong question to ask, and there is no such thing as too many questions. By engaging it shows how committed and interested you actually are in the course and university.
As already mentioned, the question you can ask are endless and by talking to people chances are you will keep thinking of more.
Open days hold a lot of value, so make the most of them.
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