Can this be done (interviewing)?

[millepora]

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I got an invite from a distant school. I am 19 hours away, so it is going to be quite the drive. I am thinking I am going to have drive most the distance pretty straight, because I don't want to miss too much of my classes. I just don't know if this is going to be physically possible. I really don't prefer to fly, because the scheduling really doesn't fit with my departing and arriving, and I will probably have to worry about a rental car too, and I have already been getting a number of interviews, so I am not sure if I will be able to afford it.

Has anyone attempted this? Also, if you did, what kind of mindset were you when you actually got to the interview.

Here is what I am thinking...

Leave a 9am... so I dont miss my 745 class.
Arrive somewhere between 2-3 am.
Sleep 4-5 hours
Wake up at 7am
Start the interview at 8:30am
Leave the interview at 2pm
Drive home, and hopefully get some there sometime in the early morning so I can start my friday classes.

 

[rddoms]

You would be better off skipping class, leaving a day early, getting a hotel, and getting some good sleep the night before the interview. Interview day is draining, so the more sleep you get the better.

 

[droogdoc]

Havent attempted this as I havent started interviews yet but have done similar things like this in the past. Dude, you are going to be DESTROYED at your interview. I wouldnt be able to be my best after all that fatigue from driving and everything. 19 hours....damn. Depending on how bad you want to go to that school, consider if it would be more practical to just miss the class and fly so you can get a good night's sleep.
As far as car rental, it depends on the school and hotel you stay at. Some schools (like TUCOM-CA and Nova) make it where you really dont need a car as there is a shuttle.

 

[droogdoc]

dang....rddoms beat me to it!!!!

 

[missDO]

I think you're gonna really struggle with this. Most professors are incredibly forgiving when you need to miss classes for graduate/medical school interviews--check with them to see their outlook on the matter.

Since this school is such a far driving distance, could you possibly reserve your airfare expenses for this interview trip? And then maybe save the driving for a more reasonably distanced interview location? I missed a day and a half worth of classes for my interview and it really didn't phase me to miss 'em. You're a senior, anyway, it's not THAT big of a deal 😉

Definitely consider flying for this. For myself, I was already worked up on nerves for the interview that I found it difficult to fall asleep, even after a long day of traveling (flight from Miami, FL up to Charleston, WV, (with a connection in between) then a 2 hr drive to my school). You may be so exhausted that you conk out, but it could take some time to fall asleep and your anticipated 4-5 hours of sleep could quickly lessen. And most importantly, you'd certainly want to avoid the sleep-induced-coma-I-accidentally-slept-through-my-five-alarms scenario.

Good luck!

 

[ChiDO]

19 hours drive?!?! Are you nuts? Get on a plane.

Take a noon flight...arive in the evening..check in..have dinner. Go to your interview the next day and fly out in the evening some time.

In regards to cost, I can't imagine that the price of driving (gas + time) is worht more then the flight. Also, if you stay in a hotel, they usually pick you up from the airport and even can drive you to the interview. I stayed at a Marriott (was like $90) for 1 night and had their shuttle take me everywhere.

My farthest interview was ~6 hours driving. Took a flight for $200 (gas would have been $100 roundtrip) and it took only 2-3 hours to fly (including spending time in the airport).

 

[wannabeaDO]

Don't do that. I would fly there or allow yourself to somehow be there before 10 to allow youself a full 8 hour sleep. Your future is important. I actually made a mistake thinking that class was important (which it is) but not at the same level of the interview. It also may have cost me another year of classes.

Don't make the same mistake I did. The interview is the first priority.

 

[group_theory]

I got an invite from a distant school. I am 19 hours away, so it is going to be quite the drive. I am thinking I am going to have drive most the distance pretty straight, because I don't want to miss too much of my classes. I just don't know if this is going to be physically possible. I really don't prefer to fly, because the scheduling really doesn't fit with my departing and arriving, and I will probably have to worry about a rental car too, and I have already been getting a number of interviews, so I am not sure if I will be able to afford it.

Has anyone attempted this? Also, if you did, what kind of mindset were you when you actually got to the interview.

Here is what I am thinking...

Leave a 9am... so I dont miss my 745 class.
Arrive somewhere between 2-3 am.
Sleep 4-5 hours
Wake up at 7am
Start the interview at 8:30am
Leave the interview at 2pm
Drive home, and hopefully get some there sometime in the early morning so I can start my friday classes.

You're going to crash your car, hurting or killing yourself and possibly killing or hurting other people.


After your first 19 hr drive, you will have a hard time falling asleep because you will be nervous about your interview, or you will fall asleep and miss your interview. And only a few hours of sleep will not be enough for you to be refresh and be at your best for interview.

And you're planning to drive for 19 hrs after the interview after you have been up for more than 36 hrs (with only a couple hrs of sleep at best). And you hope to go to class after you complete your second 19 hr drive back?

Do not do this. You will die. Others might die. If you think your driving will not be affect by being severely sleep deprived, then you lack significant insight and judgement.

 

[123165]

You're going to crash your car, hurting or killing yourself and possibly killing or hurting other people.


After your first 19 hr drive, you will have a hard time falling asleep because you will be nervous about your interview, or you will fall asleep and miss your interview. And only a few hours of sleep will not be enough for you to be refresh and be at your best for interview.

And you're planning to drive for 19 hrs after the interview after you have been up for more than 36 hrs (with only a couple hrs of sleep at best). And you hope to go to class after you complete your second 19 hr drive back?

Do not do this. You will die. Others might die. If you think your driving will not be affect by being severely sleep deprived, then you lack significant insight and judgement.

Driving, no way! But practice medicine? No problem!

I tease.

Take the flight, it is the smart decision.

 

[forrealz]

I got an invite from a distant school. I am 19 hours away, so it is going to be quite the drive. I am thinking I am going to have drive most the distance pretty straight, because I don't want to miss too much of my classes. I just don't know if this is going to be physically possible. I really don't prefer to fly, because the scheduling really doesn't fit with my departing and arriving, and I will probably have to worry about a rental car too, and I have already been getting a number of interviews, so I am not sure if I will be able to afford it.

Has anyone attempted this? Also, if you did, what kind of mindset were you when you actually got to the interview.

Here is what I am thinking...

Leave a 9am... so I dont miss my 745 class.
Arrive somewhere between 2-3 am.
Sleep 4-5 hours
Wake up at 7am
Start the interview at 8:30am
Leave the interview at 2pm
Drive home, and hopefully get some there sometime in the early morning so I can start my friday classes.

whoa to that! 😱

 

[just one]

I drove a trip that was 16 hours one way, stayed in the destination one hour, then drove back. Only stopped for gas and restroom. I had a co-pilot that we alternated driving every 3-4 hours. Let's just say I was dead-A*@ tired the next day. However there was one bonus, after eating gas station food for 33 hours, my next meal was the BEST tasting meal ever!

 

[DrYoda]

I've driven over 24 hours straight with only stopping for food and gas. But I had two other people to alternate driver with.

 

[n618ft]

Stop wasting gas and polluting the planet.

 

[not so calm now]

Stop wasting gas and polluting the planet.

uhh, and what do you expect her to do? flying is much more harmful for the environment than driving. Why don't you withdraw all your applications to schools that are >5 hours away and can't be reached by mass public transit?

 

[TexasTriathlete]

Ride your bike

 

[DbDan]

Or... Fly southwest at 59 each direction, priceline a cheap hotel for virtually nothing, get a hertz/enterprise rental for 20 dollars for a day and only spend about 200 on the whole thing. A 19 hr drive I'm guessing is about 1000 miles @ 50 mph (this is a low estimate). Assuming 30mpg in ur car, 2000 miles round trip, thats 66.666 gallons of gas. Assuming ~$3/gallon you are looking at 200 dollars anyway.... Plus you will actually be able to function at your interview and you won't risk killing someone in the process driving

I got an invite from a distant school. I am 19 hours away, so it is going to be quite the drive. I am thinking I am going to have drive most the distance pretty straight, because I don't want to miss too much of my classes. I just don't know if this is going to be physically possible. I really don't prefer to fly, because the scheduling really doesn't fit with my departing and arriving, and I will probably have to worry about a rental car too, and I have already been getting a number of interviews, so I am not sure if I will be able to afford it.

Has anyone attempted this? Also, if you did, what kind of mindset were you when you actually got to the interview.

Here is what I am thinking...

Leave a 9am... so I dont miss my 745 class.
Arrive somewhere between 2-3 am.
Sleep 4-5 hours
Wake up at 7am
Start the interview at 8:30am
Leave the interview at 2pm
Drive home, and hopefully get some there sometime in the early morning so I can start my friday classes.

 

[123165]

Or... Fly southwest at 59 each direction, priceline a cheap hotel for virtually nothing, get a hertz/enterprise rental for 20 dollars for a day and only spend about 200 on the whole thing. A 19 hr drive I'm guessing is about 1000 miles @ 50 mph (this is a low estimate). Assuming 30mpg in ur car, 2000 miles round trip, thats 66.666 gallons of gas. Assuming ~$3/gallon you are looking at 200 dollars anyway.... Plus you will actually be able to function at your interview and you won't risk killing someone in the process driving

You really think this is possible? Depending on where the OP is it could be very unrealistic. My flights are all costing ~230 round trip after extensive research. Hotels are around $50 on the cheap end, and depending on the OP's age, a $20 rental for a day is completely unrealistic. I am 25 and spending $30-$55 a day depending on where I am renting (Las Vegas vs Tampa FL).

I am not recommending driving, but I am doubting anyone is lucky enough to travel for that cheap.

 

[DbDan]

You really think this is possible? Depending on where the OP is it could be very unrealistic. My flights are all costing ~230 round trip after extensive research. Hotels are around $50 on the cheap end, and depending on the OP's age, a $20 rental for a day is completely unrealistic. I am 25 and spending $30-$55 a day depending on where I am renting (Las Vegas vs Tampa FL).

I am not recommending driving, but I am doubting anyone is lucky enough to travel for that cheap.

If you use something like Bing.com or the like you can find the cheapest flights available. You normally need to book 2 weeks in advance and book one way tickets for each. Depends on how far you are flying, etc. I can fly LA to Vegas, LA to SF, etc. for 59 each way (I just booked one a few days ago). A major factor would be how close you are to your local airport and how far the flight is, also how big the airport is and how readily they fly to the locations you wish to go to. It would cost me 240 round trip to fly virgin to NY/Fl but something closer is obviously cheaper.

Priceline name your own price is normally very good. if you check the winning bids there are 2* hotels at most places for 25-35 dollars. Its not a resort but you are only there one night and only to sleep so its not a huge deal. Rental cars are similar. I recently had to rent a car, found a good deal and explained circumstances of why I needed it (i'm under 25) and they were willing to waive their 150 dollar one time rental fee. If you tell them your circumstances and if its a major company that you will be using them consistantly they will likely be willing to work with you and waive that fee.

 

[123165]

If you use something like Bing.com or the like you can find the cheapest flights available. You normally need to book 2 weeks in advance and book one way tickets for each. Depends on how far you are flying, etc. I can fly LA to Vegas, LA to SF, etc. for 59 each way (I just booked one a few days ago). A major factor would be how close you are to your local airport and how far the flight is, also how big the airport is and how readily they fly to the locations you wish to go to. It would cost me 240 round trip to fly virgin to NY/Fl but something closer is obviously cheaper.

Priceline name your own price is normally very good. if you check the winning bids there are 2* hotels at most places for 25-35 dollars. Its not a resort but you are only there one night and only to sleep so its not a huge deal. Rental cars are similar. I recently had to rent a car, found a good deal and explained circumstances of why I needed it (i'm under 25) and they were willing to waive their 150 dollar one time rental fee. If you tell them your circumstances and if its a major company that you will be using them consistantly they will likely be willing to work with you and waive that fee.

I think a big part of it is the airport you fly out of, the kansas city airport does not have tons of traffic, and can be more expensive. I totally agree with name your quote. I booked a 4 star in des moines for $40.

 

[DrYoda]

Or... Fly southwest at 59 each direction, priceline a cheap hotel for virtually nothing, get a hertz/enterprise rental for 20 dollars for a day and only spend about 200 on the whole thing. A 19 hr drive I'm guessing is about 1000 miles @ 50 mph (this is a low estimate). Assuming 30mpg in ur car, 2000 miles round trip, thats 66.666 gallons of gas. Assuming ~$3/gallon you are looking at 200 dollars anyway.... Plus you will actually be able to function at your interview and you won't risk killing someone in the process driving

But can you stop the plane at every bar from Chicago to Tampa😀?