Navigating Griffith’s Virtual Open House

2020 has been an interesting year that has impacted all of us. As you look forward to next year and beyond, don’t put away any plans to begin your journey through university. Traditional open days might be off the table this year but there are still ways to get the information you need to decide whether uni is right for you. This year, instead of an Open Day Griffith is hosting a Virtual Open House. Here’s my tips on how to make the most out of this interactive system.

What is Virtual Open House?

Because we can’t all visit campuses right now, Griffith have built a virtual version of open day where you can visit study booths whenever it suits you. My first impressions were that the platform is very user friendly and I found it quite easy to navigate.

The home page is the lobby, one of the things you will notice is that many buttons will provide links back to three main areas. Which are the study areas hall, auditorium and admissions and support. These links help you make the most of Open House and focus on finding answers for those gripping questions. The information booths will also provide access to technical support as well as redirect to these main areas. You will notice there is a white Griffith banner across the top of the page which provides easy links to navigating around sections. It is especially important to note the ‘my saved documents’ tab. I recommend saving important documents as you explore the different areas for quick future access. The video and documents link will send you to an entire library of content. These documents are also provided within each separate booth for easier access, and these links are best once you know which specific document you need.

Study Areas Hall

Now let’s talk about what to expect and what to look out for when you’re in the Open House system. As you explore the study areas hall, note that each department is presented in a booth. The names listed on the vertical right-side banner, are the degrees offered within that study area. The centre banner will direct you to a program (degree) description page on the Griffith website. This is a great document to explore the degrees available in your area of interest and gain information on careers and even explore which subjects you will study. Ensure you have allowed pop-ups on your browser, and where possible use Chrome or Firefox.

Under each booth, there are specialised documents and videos on student life, career outcomes and why study at Griffith. This includes options to tour the facilities and hear from students and lecturers. I especially recommend saving the study guide (select the undergraduate or postgraduate version) to ‘my saved documents.’ This document has detailed information on the degrees in that study area as well as helpful information such as entry requirements and campus information. Each study area also has a chat button that will direct you to live chat hours for that topic.

Admissions and Support Hall

Open day is about more than just exploring degree areas but also about glancing into all aspects of the university and Virtual Open House is no different. The admissions and support hall range from entry requirements, student support to student life. This section will help guide you from seeing university as a distant picture, to helping plan your pathway here. Whether you are worried about subject prerequisites, accommodation, financial support or many other aspects, these booths will be your first point of reference. I also recommend accessing the ‘life at Griffith’ booth within this section. Here you will find videos depicting our university community and campuses as well as access to information on facilities and parking.

Auditorium

Finally, in the auditorium, you will have access to a list of webinars and information sessions. Live sessions are held every Tuesday and Thursday and will allow you to hear from Griffith staff members and students and ask questions in real-time. These live sessions are held on zoom, so I recommend you download the app on your device prior. After you have taken note of the dates you wish to attend, my tip is to return to the lobby and select the button that says view event schedule. This will launch a new page with a larger list of planned events that you can also sync to whatever calendar you use and ensure you don’t miss anything.

We are all adjusting to the new normal, and at Griffith, we have adjusted to connecting online. Open House will remain on until 1 October and you can visit as many times as you like!

Cinthia Dos Santhos