Most universities put on several offer holder days throughout the year which are like open days but specifically designed for students who have been given an offer to study there.

I attended two offer holder days in my last year of sixth form – one here at the University of Manchester and another at my second choice university. These days were so helpful for deciding which university to make my firm choice as they really gave me a feel for the university campuses and gave me the opportunity to find out more about the course I wanted to study.

At the University of Manchester, offer holder days typically involve talks from academic staff in your subject area, campus tours with student ambassadors, and lots of opportunities to ask questions and hear from current students.

The subject talks were really useful as they gave me a better picture of what the course is like and how it is taught, and the lecturers went into detail about some of the different modules that I would study or could choose to study in each year of my degree. They also provided lots of information about things that I could get involved in alongside my studies, such as student-led societies, work and voluntary opportunities, and the study abroad scheme.

The campus tours are brilliant and the best way to get to know the university campus. Seeing the different lecture buildings and study spots really gave me a feel for what it would be like to study here. It was also an important factor for me in choosing the University of Manchester as my first choice, because I loved how pretty the campus is and all the green spaces it has to offer.

The campus tours are also a great opportunity to hear from students about their experiences as they are run by student ambassadors in your subject area. The tour I went on was given by two final year students studying similar courses to the one I had applied for, so it gave me chance to hear about the course from a student perspective as well as how they have found student life in general.

Between the talks and tours, there are also plenty of opportunities to speak to student ambassadors and ask any questions you might have, whether it be about the course, student halls, the city, or the nightlife in Manchester. I found that all the students were really friendly, and talking to them made me feel a lot more prepared for moving to university.

I would really recommend attending an offer holder day because it’s a great chance to see the university in person and find out everything you need to know before you start.

Written by Katie Pattison, a 2nd year BA Sociology and Spanish student

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