'There's so much to choose from'
On 24 February school pupils came looking for their dream programme in a packed Pieterskerk. Did they find what they were looking for? And does an Open Day help?
Maurits Doebele (17), from Germany
‘I'm interested in several different programmes in The Hague, in particular International Studies, International Relations and Organisations, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Philosophy. That last one could be a bit too theoretical for me, though, which is one of the things I want to find out today. I also want to hear more about the application procedure and admission criteria: how important are your grades, for example? I'm involved in a lot of political and social activities outside school, so my grades may not be as good as other students.'
Roos de Waard (19), from Ridderkerk
‘I'm currently doing an art programme in Breda, but what I miss is the theoretical aspect. I'm looking for a programme that teaches me more about the world and about how problems in society can be solved. I've come to Leiden because it offers such a wide range of options. Just now I was at an information session about Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and I 'm sure now that's not the right subject for me; I'm more interested in politics, governance and economics than in groups of people. I'm very impressed by this event and the city. There's a really good atmosphere here and everything is so well organised.'
Sabine Esmail (16), from Haarlem
‘I've come here today to find out about medical studies such as Medicine and Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences. I wanted to know what subjects you need, how to apply and what the differences are between the programmes. All my questions have been answered and I have a clear picture of what the programmes entail. Medicine is all about the patient and BPS is all about the illness. Right now I'm leaning more towards Medicine because I want to be able to help people.'
Frederico Ganora (18), from Italy
‘I'm interested in politics, history and philosophy, so I'm looking at the International Relations and Organisations programme. I'm considering Leiden because I want to stay in Europe, so studying in the Netherlands is a logical choice. It's much easier than studying in England, for example; the application procedure there is far more complicated. Today I'm mainly interested in finding out more about the application procedure, and the difference between the campuses in Leiden and The Hague. I've talked to quite a few students and now I'm more or less certain it's going to be International Relations and Organisations. Today's been a great success for me!’
David Breugem (19) from Schiedam
‘I'm looking at International Studies, Security Studies, China Studies, Russian Studies and Archaeology. That's quite a broad range, I know. I want to learn a language at a high level, which is a key theme for all these programmes. The only thing is I'm not sure about is the career options. At China Studies, for example, they told me I could become an interpreter or a teacher, which are two very different careers. I do like that the opportunities are so diverse.'
Impression of the Open Day
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Why not come to an Experience Day at Leiden University from 5 to 7 April?