3. You know what is hurtful? Not being offered a pen at an Open Day.
Some Open Days took place in the weeks following the summer exam season, but there will be a chance to visit the universities you are interested in during the autumn term of your final year. It is hard to obtain the full picture of a university via the website, so a visit for a day might cement your determination to apply there or prove that it is completely the wrong decision to do so. I had sent off my application before I visited a university and had to beg my Head of Sixth Form to send it back so I could swap it for another (applications are firstly sent to your referee in school so they can write a recommendation). A day trip can change your entire perspective, and it’s as simple as that.
Having said that, it’s not the end of the world if you are unable to visit every university you like. You can sometimes organise a day to visit a university throughout the year, or you can wait until the Offer Holders’ events that occur around March and April. UCAS fayres are beneficial for a brief overview of a university and for competitions on who can collect the most prospectuses (I got seventeen and two very sore shoulders).