Open days are often a student’s first encounter with university life. They offer the opportunity to visit the campus, hear directly from staff, attend presentations, and learn about courses, admissions, accommodation, and student support, often within a single visit. In this sense, they provide a useful overview of an institution and can help students begin narrowing down their university choices, especially when comparing different universities and understanding their main features. However, open days are also large, busy events designed to present the university to a wide audience at once, with the aim of appealing to as many prospective students as possible in a short period of time. As a result, while informative, they can sometimes feel more general than personal and may not always offer the clearest insight into daily student life.
A curated university visit offers something different in many important aspects – it endeavours to create a more focused and thoughtful experience. Due to the small size of the group, students may find it easier to engage more closely with what is being presented. Private mock lectures, presentations and guided campus tours will still introduce students to the academic side of a university, but in a calmer experience, catered to the individual needs of each of the students. They may find it easier to ask questions and absorb information and may also gain access to aspects of the university – whether events or locations – that are not typically available during official open days due to the large number of visitors these events attract.
A curated university visit can also place more emphasis on the part of university choice that standard open days sometimes leave in the background: life outside the campus itself. We at Edescence believe that choosing a university is also choosing a city – a routine and environment for both private and social life in which to live for several years. Here is where walkability, culture, entertainment and overall atmosphere start to play a very important role, as they are not always things that can be understood fully through official presentations alone. By looking at both the university and the city around it within a carefully organised tour, students can begin to see not only where they might study, but also how they might live. A campus may be impressive on paper and in presentation slides, but the surrounding environment often shapes the student experience just as much. Seeing both sides together allows for a fuller and more realistic impression.
Curated academic tours offer a personal and insightful perspective on university life, going beyond the standard routes typically presented during large-scale visits. Through smaller groups and thoughtfully designed interactions with the academic environment, students are able to ask meaningful questions, engage more deeply with institutions, and gain a clearer understanding of daily student life. For students making an important and long-term decision about their academic path, this added depth can make all the difference.
– The Edessence Team –