Open Day is easy to treat as a formality, a box to tick before enrolment. However, it's actually one of the few chances you get to properly test a course before committing to it.
At Collarts, our Open Day is all about making this process easy and hands-on with:
Live demonstrations - see our course content come to life, get involved in projects and see our cutting-edge equipment in action
Performances from our current students and alumni
Information hubs where you can chat with students, teachers and program leaders
Guided campus tours led by our friendly Student Ambassadors
Pathway displays - see our community’s achievements and study journeys, from the exceptional work of our current students to tracing the pathways of our successful alumni working in industry
With our Sydney, Melbourne, and Online Open Days just around the corner, we asked Senior Future Student Advisors Louise Harsley and Heidi Marshall, and Fashion and Sustainability Lecturer Tamara Leacock, what they'd want every prospective student to know before choosing a degree.
It's Not a Lifetime Commitment
One of the biggest hesitations people have before Open Day is the fear of getting it wrong. Tamara puts that worry into perspective: the biggest misconception, she says, is "that it is final and that you lack choice in pivoting, changing and evolving. Life is evolution and change, constant change. We want to set you up for a trajectory that you are passionate about, knowing that you can continue to evolve, diversify and refine that path as you go."
Heidi agrees, and points out that this shows up specifically in the creative industries. The misconception, in her words, is "that you need to know exactly what you want for the rest of your life before deciding on a degree. It's not the case. Your degree should give you skills, experience, industry connections and the confidence to explore where your interests can take you. Especially in the creative industries, careers can evolve in ways you might not have expected."
Louise adds that this extends to your starting point too, not just where you end up. "It's okay if you are a beginner, we want creative passionate people here, not polished professionals!"
Pictured above: Fashion & Sustainability Lecturer Tamara Leacock
Look Past the Course Title
A course name doesn't tell you the full story of what your actual time studying will look like. Heidi's advice is to dig into the specifics: "look beyond the course title and really understand what [you'll] be learning, the practical experience [you'll] gain, and where it could take [you] professionally."
That means choosing based on fit rather than how a title sounds on paper. As Heidi puts it, "choose a course not because it sounds good. Do it because its an area where you can see yourself thriving. Think about the teaching style, the practical experience, the community, and the opportunity to work on real projects and whether the course really excites you."
Tamara frames the same idea slightly differently, as a question worth asking yourself before you even walk in the door:
"What is your creative flow state? If we can shape your studies around supporting your ability to work creatively in the very thing that makes your heart sing, we have done what we are meant to."
What to Actually Ask on the Day
Some of the best questions are the practical, slightly unglamorous ones. Heidi's list is a good starting point: "What jobs can I get? What is the course actually like day to day” How practical is it? What equipment and software will I use?"
Louise gets a lot of the same practical questions from prospective students, and her answers are worth knowing ahead of time. Yes, scholarships are available. If you didn't finish Year 12, there are pathways in. And a range of our courses can be studied 100% online.
Tamara's advice is to look into the course content itself. "Have a look at the assessments, chat to your lecturers, chat to your future colleagues, if you can imagine growing with, being productively challenged by, and building community with the peers, mentors, and content of that course, it's definitely the course for you."
Treat It Like a Full Day Out
Open Day isn't something to rush through in an hour. Louise's advice is to properly commit to it. "Make a day of it, jump on the bus and see all the campuses in the area and get a first hand experience of the creative community Collarts has to offer. Chat to everyone, [including] teachers, students, and advisors!"
Heidi says it's just as important to come prepared to actually engage rather than just observe. "Come with questions, don't be afraid to ask what you really want to know. Talk to the academics, current students and admissions team, explore the spaces, and try to picture yourself studying there. Open Day is an opportunity to not only see if the course is right, but also the campus."
Bring That Energy With You
Whatever questions you walk in with, it's worth remembering what Open Day actually represents. As Tamara puts it, "you have made such a wonderful decision in support of your creativity. This is one of the most exciting days of the year. Keep that energy even when the work gets hard and the assignments start rolling in, because each day you are crafting your future, a future that is uniquely yours."
If you're weighing up a degree and want answers to the kind of questions above, Collarts Open Day is built for exactly that. You'll get to walk the campuses, sit in on real course content, and talk to the lecturers and advisors who'll actually be teaching and supporting you.
Book your spot at our next Open Day and start asking your own questions in person.