Affording second look?

[SnoPearl]

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I just looked up plane tickets for the second look weekends of both UPitt and UMich, the two second looks I'm planning to go to - and each weekend will cost me about $300! I really want to visit both schools to make an informed decision and to meet future classmates, but spending $600+ just for 2 second looks? I've already spent nearly $5000 this application cycle... to throw on another $600 seems terribly wasteful just for the purpose of trying to make a decision.

How are the rest of you planning to work out the second look finances? Any suggestions for what I can do? I've emailed UMich to ask for a travel grant, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[ziggy793]

I just looked up plane tickets for the second look weekends of both UPitt and UMich, the two second looks I'm planning to go to - and each weekend will cost me about $300! I really want to visit both schools to make an informed decision and to meet future classmates, but spending $600+ just for 2 second looks? I've already spent nearly $5000 this application cycle... to throw on another $600 seems terribly wasteful just for the purpose of trying to make a decision.

How are the rest of you planning to work out the second look finances? Any suggestions for what I can do? I've emailed UMich to ask for a travel grant, but I'm not holding my breath.

I'm in the same boat... there isn't much you can do except:
1. Check out options like rail and bus
2. Carpool w/ people driving near your town/passing through your town
3. Try booking early for flights to avoid increased airfare

 

[taponthecloud]

I say just go for it!!!...It's seriously expensive, but it's one of the most important decisions of your life and you've already come this far. One day, when you're Head of Surgery at Mass General, you'll look back at the experience and realize how much fun it was to wine and dine and meet different folks your age who were about to embark on their own medical careers and that the $600 (mere chump change in comparison to how much you would be making in the future) you spent for Second Look was well worth it...

 

[ucmd84]

I wonder if schools that do not historically pay for second looks will consider subsidizing part of the trip's expense (mostly flight).

 

[SnoPearl]

I wonder if schools that do not historically pay for second looks will consider subsidizing part of the trip's expense (mostly flight).

I've asked a few other second look programs thus far and none of them have offered any financial help towards travel. It looks like second look really is more of a luxury visit rather than anything the school deems necessary.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

I just looked up plane tickets for the second look weekends of both UPitt and UMich, the two second looks I'm planning to go to - and each weekend will cost me about $300! I really want to visit both schools to make an informed decision and to meet future classmates, but spending $600+ just for 2 second looks? I've already spent nearly $5000 this application cycle... to throw on another $600 seems terribly wasteful just for the purpose of trying to make a decision.

How are the rest of you planning to work out the second look finances? Any suggestions for what I can do? I've emailed UMich to ask for a travel grant, but I'm not holding my breath.

As you said, 5 grand out already, whats another 600 bucks [I'm not rich, I realize its real money, you get my point though I hope]? Besides, 4 years from now, when you get those fuzzy little letters telling you you're 200+ grand in the hole, you won't even remember 600 bucks. Do it once, do it right😎

 

[EkLiLiaN]

I thought UMich paid for flights.

 

[pupster]

Hey SnoPearl,

I'm going to go a bit against the grain here and say that I'm not going to second looks, largely for cost reasons. I've hemorrhaged money like crazy in this application cycle, and in the upcoming months, I know I will have a lot of other uses for $600.

My decision not to go to second looks comes down to my personal priority list for medical schools. (This is basically the idea that LizzyM discussed in her post on decision-making). I know enough about the cities where my top schools are located to know I could be happy living in any of them. My questions about curriculum were answered either on my interview day, or on the schools' websites. And as far as the students the school tends to attract... I know myself well enough to know that I can make a few good friends no matter where I go, and I know medicine well enough to know there will be a few gunners at every school, P/F curriculum or no. The last remaining priority for me -- a huge one -- is cost. Second look won't help with that one.

If you have some priorities that weren't answered on your interview day and can't be found online (for example, "Can I REALLY live happily in Ann Arbor?"), then maybe a second visit would be worth the cost for you. Or if you are in the mood for a brief quasi-vacation, a revisit weekend might do nicely. But I would think carefully about what you need to know to make an informed decision, and how exactly a revisit will add to your knowledge of the school, before dropping the money.

 

[SBBunny]

I've asked a few other second look programs thus far and none of them have offered any financial help towards travel. It looks like second look really is more of a luxury visit rather than anything the school deems necessary.

I figure that the most important thing about Second Look is the chance to get to know your potential classmates. Of course, the silly thing is that the people at Second Look aren't the same people that will be in your classes! Think of all the people with multiple acceptances who will be going to four or five second looks and all the people who get in off the waitlist. The curriculum, location, hospital culture, etc were all probably at least somewhat clear after the interview day and even if they weren't, you can answer whatever questions you might have through email and phone calls. I think that second look is most useful if you're truly torn between two options and need to get a better intuitive "feel" of a school. Even then, I have a feeling that it doesn't help make the decision any easier.

I'm going to second look because I think that it'll be a good way to go from being a bitter applicant to being a happy MS-I. At almost every school that I interviewed at, the students seemed ridiculously happy. Every medical student I met felt like their school was amazing and that they were in the best program out there. I envy that feeling and wonder if maybe 2nd look will be the way to find it.

Anyway, don't worry about not going to second look. You won't miss out on any important class bonding- that stuff won't really happen until orientation, when the real medical school class assembles. You can make your decision based on what you've seen of the school at your interview- another visit can be nice, but the decision is still going to be tough. Good luck deciding what school to attend . You have a lot of great options!

p.s. Waitlist luck

 

[Monkey House]

I suppose its too late, but you might have more airline miles than you think from all your interview travel?

Granted I have not been yet, but I think the point of second week is to get a feel for your soon to be class and see if you enjoy those people. The internet can tell you a lot, sometimes too much, but this seems to be the only way to really gauge the people?