You get home from a college open day with a tote bag, three prospectuses and one very strong opinion about the campus café. But could you explain what you would actually study there?
That is the gap this guide helps you close. An open day can turn a vague CAO idea into something you can picture: the work, the journey, the people and the questions you still need answered. You do not have to decide your entire future before getting on the bus.
Use this as a field guide for your next visit. It follows the day in order, with conversation starters you can keep on your phone and a short debrief for afterwards. The aim is to leave with evidence for your course shortlist, rather than just a good feeling.
Pack three questions, not a whole life plan
Start with a small shortlist: two courses you already find interesting and one you are curious about. Three is a suggested starting point, not a rule. If you are torn between subjects, choose one course from each area. If you know your subject, compare different ways of studying it.
Search CAO Finder by subject, college or location to find those starting options. Open each college’s own course page and note its exact title and CAO code. Similar names can hide different modules, campuses or entry conditions. Keep the code beside your notes so that later you know which programme you actually discussed.
For each course, write one sentence: “I want to find out whether…” Perhaps you want to know how much maths is involved, whether placement is compulsory, or when you choose a specialism. A question gives you a reason to visit a particular stand instead of drifting towards whichever one has the shortest queue.
Check the event details before travelling
Use the college’s official open-day page for the date, campus, booking rules and programme. Check whether individual talks need separate registration. Put your two most useful sessions into your phone, allow time to walk between buildings and leave a gap for an unexpected conversation.
If you are visiting with friends, agree a meeting point rather than assuming you must attend every talk together. If a parent or guardian comes along, ask them to help with practical questions while you lead the conversation about the course. Bring a charged phone, a pen, water and whatever booking confirmation the organiser requests.
Ask for an ordinary first-year week
A presentation might cover careers, research and impressive facilities. Bring the conversation back to what you would do as a first-year student. Ask to see a sample timetable or hear about a recent assignment. Specific examples make two courses much easier to compare than descriptions such as “exciting” or “hands-on”.
“What would I actually be doing in my first term?”
Follow up with: which modules are compulsory, how are they assessed, and what tends to surprise students?
“What did your busiest week look like?”
Ask about classes, independent work, group projects and the part they found hardest to get used to.
Listen for the balance of activities. Would you spend time reading, writing, calculating, coding, designing, practising in a lab or presenting to a group? There is no universally better mix. You are looking for work you are willing to practise even when it gets difficult.
Then ask about choice. “Can I take that module?” is more useful than assuming an interesting subject on a poster is available to everyone. Find out when options are selected, whether places are limited and what determines access to a particular pathway. If the answer depends on grades or capacity, write that condition down.
For placement or study abroad, ask what is guaranteed and what requires an application. Check the timing, selection process and possible additional costs. An opportunity being available somewhere in a department does not necessarily mean it forms part of every student’s course.
Use one honest question when you feel awkward
Try: “What do you wish you had asked before choosing this course?” It gives a student room to mention something the brochure might not explain. Follow up on one detail rather than rushing through ten questions. A five-minute conversation you understand is more useful than a long list of answers you cannot remember.
One student’s experience is still one perspective. If someone dislikes group work, that does not prove the course is wrong for you. Ask what happened, compare it with the published assessment information and speak to another person if the issue matters to your decision.
Walk the route you would actually use
Imagine a wet Tuesday with an early class. Where would you arrive? How far is the teaching building from the bus stop or station? Would you have somewhere to study between classes? An open-day journey is only a trial, so check weekday transport separately before deciding a commute is manageable.
Ask which campus the course uses and whether teaching or placements happen elsewhere. Look at the library, study areas and somewhere you could eat your own lunch. These details can feel less exciting than choosing a subject, but they help you picture an ordinary week.
For accommodation, collect current information from the college’s official accommodation service. Ask about application dates, availability, contract length and what advertised prices include. Treat an attractive sample room as an example, not a promise that you will be offered it. Keep your own rough budget for travel, food and course materials too.
Visit support services if they are relevant to you. You can ask how students access learning support, disability support or academic help without discussing personal information at a crowded stand. Request a contact or a quieter appointment if you need to talk about your circumstances.
Check the entry conditions behind the points
Bring your actual Leaving Cert subjects and levels to the admissions conversation. Ask staff to show you the current requirements for the exact programme: required subjects, grades and any additional assessment. CAO makes clear that applicants must meet the course’s minimum entry requirements to be considered. A points total alone does not settle eligibility.
For a restricted course, check the application and assessment rules early. Do not assume it can simply be added during summer Change of Mind. Use the current CAO handbook and confirm anything specific to your circumstances with admissions.
Write down where the answer came from: the official page, department or admissions contact. If a conversation seems to conflict with published requirements, request written clarification. You want a reliable answer you can revisit, rather than a half-remembered assurance from a busy afternoon.
Ask about any deadline attached to an action you need to take, then add it to your own calendar after checking the official source. This guide deliberately does not list individual event dates: use each college’s live event page so you do not plan around an old listing.
Write a three-line debrief while it is fresh
Before you start comparing your day with everyone else’s, write three lines for each course. Keep them specific enough that they will still mean something next week.
I am more interested because…
Name a module, type of work or opportunity you understood better.
I need to check…
Record one unanswered question and who could answer it.
My next action is…
Choose one manageable step, such as reading the first-year module descriptions.
For example, a fictional student might write: “I liked hearing how students investigate a real problem in their first-year project. I still do not know how much of the assessment is individual. I will find the module description and ask the department if it is unclear.” That note helps with a decision; “nice atmosphere” is much harder to act on.
A disappointing visit can be useful too. Separate a long queue, poor weather or a rushed speaker from your reaction to the course content. Equally, do not ignore a repeated concern about the work itself because the buildings looked impressive. Give yourself a little time before making a big change to your shortlist.
The next day: change one thing in your research
Return to your saved courses and notes. Keep a course, investigate it further or set it aside with a reason. If the visit revealed a new interest, search that subject across more than one college. Our business course guide and engineering course guide can help if those are areas you are exploring.
When you eventually arrange your CAO application, rank courses by your genuine preference, not their previous points. Visiting a campus helps you understand that preference; it does not give a course priority automatically. Our CAO order-of-preference example explains how the list affects offers.
You can still ask the important questions
Travel, school commitments and cost can make an open day difficult. Look for recorded course talks, online events or virtual tours on the college’s official website. For example, Trinity’s prospective-student resources include student-led virtual campus tours. Check what each college currently offers.
Use the same three-course shortlist and questions. Email a department one focused query that the course page has not answered, or bring your notes to your guidance counsellor. You can research modules and entry requirements without attending a campus event. If you get another chance to visit, use it to test the practical details you could not judge online.
You do not need to visit every college or come home certain. A successful open day leaves you able to explain one course more clearly, ask a better question and take a useful next step. Start with a few options, then let what you learn improve your shortlist.