- Joined
- Oct 14, 2011
- Messages
- 20,312
- Reaction score
- 15,345
Since it seems so many more dental schools are going to in-person compared to medical schools, I am reviving travel tips I would give to candidates going to interviews by plane:
My tips if traveling by plane to interviews:
Many of you may not have taken advantage of the following tips, but this is a good time to line these things up.
1) Sturdy carry-on bags. You don't want lost checked bags. Find a TSA-compliant bag that can fit your interview outfit and be placed in an overhead bin. Your laptop bag or personal purse should fit under the seat. (Also, learn to put those bags in correctly... the wheels go in first so that when you leave, you grab the TOP handle and leave.) Gate-checking delays you as well.
1a) Develop a packing checklist and make sure you don't overpack. Depending on your schedule, you may wear your interview outfit, but don't drink coffee to spill on your white shirt. Anticipate bringing one set of comfortable walking shoes, and pick black or another dark color... not the shoes you want to wear on the way home).
1b) You really need just one maybe two clothes changes, depending on the schedule. Here's a generic checklist for vacations: Travel Packing Checklist | For Your Holiday Or Business Trip (not an endorsement).
2) Get TSA Pre-Check or similar express check-in subscriptions (Clear) to speed you through security. (Seriously, if you don't have it, you need to start processing it now!)
3) Check good credit card offers, and research points bonuses. If you wind up going to that school and fly back and forth, figure out how much it is to accrue points. If you attend and save all your points to spend after you graduate, you should have enough for a few round-trips to a desired vacation location.
3a) Book Aisle seats or emergency row seats!
3b) If you can, book early morning flights. Delays happen. Plan enough time so you don't panic on the same day as your interview.
3c) See if you can stay with students. Usually student admissions ambassadors should help with arrangements with student club officers. SNMA, LMSA, or other affinity groups if you are a minority or low-income.
4) Bluetooth noise-canceling earbuds and headphones, and keep/ask for some wired headphones. Planes are converting to using Bluetooth on flights to connect you to their satellite system.
5) From suggestions compiled by Google Bard: Use a private browser window when searching for flights. Airlines can track your search history and use this information to increase the prices of flights you're interested in. By using a private browser window, you can prevent the airline from tracking your search history. (I keep forgetting to do that. This also means don't use your personal phone app for the airline to search flights.)
6) See if the admissions office has a discount code for rideshare services. Use it for Uber or Lyft.
6a) If you have to book a hotel, ask for the university discount code.
6b) Plan $50 per day for meals. If you're really good, try to stick to $40/day.
7) AirBnB or other housing-share services... be wary and do your due diligence about security and trustworthiness. Don't take the absolute cheapest option. Find it on a map and see where it is located relative to the dental school.
Any more suggestions?
My tips if traveling by plane to interviews:
Many of you may not have taken advantage of the following tips, but this is a good time to line these things up.
1) Sturdy carry-on bags. You don't want lost checked bags. Find a TSA-compliant bag that can fit your interview outfit and be placed in an overhead bin. Your laptop bag or personal purse should fit under the seat. (Also, learn to put those bags in correctly... the wheels go in first so that when you leave, you grab the TOP handle and leave.) Gate-checking delays you as well.
1a) Develop a packing checklist and make sure you don't overpack. Depending on your schedule, you may wear your interview outfit, but don't drink coffee to spill on your white shirt. Anticipate bringing one set of comfortable walking shoes, and pick black or another dark color... not the shoes you want to wear on the way home).
1b) You really need just one maybe two clothes changes, depending on the schedule. Here's a generic checklist for vacations: Travel Packing Checklist | For Your Holiday Or Business Trip (not an endorsement).
2) Get TSA Pre-Check or similar express check-in subscriptions (Clear) to speed you through security. (Seriously, if you don't have it, you need to start processing it now!)
3) Check good credit card offers, and research points bonuses. If you wind up going to that school and fly back and forth, figure out how much it is to accrue points. If you attend and save all your points to spend after you graduate, you should have enough for a few round-trips to a desired vacation location.
3a) Book Aisle seats or emergency row seats!
3b) If you can, book early morning flights. Delays happen. Plan enough time so you don't panic on the same day as your interview.
3c) See if you can stay with students. Usually student admissions ambassadors should help with arrangements with student club officers. SNMA, LMSA, or other affinity groups if you are a minority or low-income.
4) Bluetooth noise-canceling earbuds and headphones, and keep/ask for some wired headphones. Planes are converting to using Bluetooth on flights to connect you to their satellite system.
5) From suggestions compiled by Google Bard: Use a private browser window when searching for flights. Airlines can track your search history and use this information to increase the prices of flights you're interested in. By using a private browser window, you can prevent the airline from tracking your search history. (I keep forgetting to do that. This also means don't use your personal phone app for the airline to search flights.)
6) See if the admissions office has a discount code for rideshare services. Use it for Uber or Lyft.
6a) If you have to book a hotel, ask for the university discount code.
6b) Plan $50 per day for meals. If you're really good, try to stick to $40/day.
7) AirBnB or other housing-share services... be wary and do your due diligence about security and trustworthiness. Don't take the absolute cheapest option. Find it on a map and see where it is located relative to the dental school.
Any more suggestions?
