I should turn the below phrase into a Blues Song, then I could sing it to my Senior students – to save them the trouble of opening their mouths.

Don’t get me wrong, I really like my senior students, and not all of them sing this song (figuratively speaking of course).

The song is irritating and goes something like this…

“I know what I want, which degree
But the Uni? I don't need to see,
I cannot afford the time
I must study & research on-line
My life just gets in the way,
So I cannot attend an Open Day"

If I were to name the song, I would call it: I’m too lazy to go to an Open Day! MY reaction to this verse (or equivalent) is something like:

Answer me this…

Can you answer the following questions, honestly and with careful thought?

• HOW can you make a choice about WHERE to study if you have NEVER been there? Shouldn’t you walk in, look around, absorb the atmosphere and ask yourself, ’Can I see myself here in the future?’
• HOW can you choose a degree without visiting the faculty, meeting the lecturers, walking into the lecture theatres, finding the ‘prac’ rooms and feeling comfortable with what you see and hear?
• HOW do you know where you are going to live? Have you taken the time to look at the options, discuss costs, and discover the steps you need to follow to get the accommodation you desire?
• HOW will you know who to turn to for help with part-time jobs, study assistance, and the all important fees if you don’t go along and ask?
• HOW can you possibly know all of the pathways of your degree, if you don’t ask the people who own this knowledge?
• HOW can you choose a degree at one university without comparing it with another?

I could go on and on… and on… and on…. and….

 

To drop-IN, or drop-OUT, that is another question….

The drop out rate from Uni during the first year is quite high.

I would hazard a guess (without any hard-core evidence to hand) that students who don’t drop-in at Open Days are a fair target for the evil cupid’s drop-out arrow during first-year @ uni.

Why? Possibly because their pre-uni-prep was flawed or non-existent! ie. They didn’t drop-in at an Open Day!

TOON-it

I was inspired to create a little YouTube-toon about this very thing—for a giggle here it is….