In the Neighborhood

Many applicants apply to schools in "geographic clusters" - for example, every school in Chicago, New York, or northern California. If you don't live near your geographic clusters, then it is certainly ideal to avoid traveling back and forth multiple times. Sometimes, a brief email to the admissions office can alleviate your travel woes.  A sample:

Dear ___,  

I recently learned I will be in Boston on September 22 for an interview at another institution. Would it be at all possible to accommodate me for an interview at Tufts during the same week? I am very interested in interviewing at Tufts, and I am hoping to minimize travel as much as possible. Thanks for helping me with this matter.

Warmest regards, 

Sam Student

Additional suggestions:

• If you know the name of the person who receives correspondence for the admissions office of interest, include it; otherwise "Dear Admissions Committee" is sufficient.
• Do not share the name of the other school. You will appear either pretentious or desperate, neither of which is desirable.
• Be succinct and kind. The administrative assistants who work in the admissions offices are the people who can make things happen for you! 
• Finally, recognize this is a long shot. Some schools can and will accomodate you and others won't, but it is absolutely worth a shot.

Couch Surfing

Continuing from yesterday, more cost saving strategies:

Where to Stay

If you want to stay in hotels while traveling for interviews and have the means to do so, that’s fantastic.  For most applicants, however, such an endeavor is prohibitive.

--Their Network

Most schools will help you to find a current student with whom to stay on the night preceding your interview.  Some schools widely advertise this opportunity in their interview invitations and confirmations.  However, most schools will help you find housing if you just ask.  The trick is knowing to ask!  If you don’t find information about housing opportunities in the interview materials, I suggest calling the Admissions Office and simply asking.   

Although it may sound awkward to stay in the same room as a complete stranger, this is an incredible “insider” view into the lives of medical students at each institution, and you will find the information you gather by observing and chatting with your host (and often his or her friends) to be extraordinarily beneficial when you begin to decide where to attend.

--Your Network

If you strike out with the Admissions Office, look at your network!  Search Facebook for friends in the city to which you’ll be traveling.  Ask your parents whether they have friends in the neighborhood (you’ll be shocked to find how willing people are to support your endeavor to become a physician).  Finally, consider contacting your alma mater to see whether alums who might be willing to host you attend the school you’ll be visiting.

--Say Thank You

A sincere, handwritten note is a “must.”  Keep blank cards with you so that you can jot down a few brief thoughts before rushing out the door en route to your interview.  If you’re feeling particularly generous, you can never go wrong leaving a small gift card ($5-$10 for Starbucks, Dunkin, etc.) or an item from your home state (a small container of maple syrup if you’re from Vermont, for example).  But regardless, leave a Thank You note!

Full Disclosure: "Couch surfing" the night before your interview is a little risky.  You want a good night of sleep and a shower!