Cost of interview season

[Valadi]

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Hi all,

I'm trying to budget my year and was wondering if prior applicants could shed some light on how much interview season is going to cost (not including applications)? I'm just wondering if I need to get additional financial aid for it.

I'm applying all over the country to about 40 programs.

Thanks for your help!
-V

 

[repsbrah]

application would cost you: $582 for 40. + usmle fee $70 = $652.

the rest of the costs would depend on where you live, where you are applying to, how many interviews you get, how you plan on travelling to your interviews (drive? air? need rental car? taxi?).

expensive stuff 🙁 its really going to boil down to how many interviews you get and where they are.

edit: i just noticed you said not applications, but whatever I wrote it in.

 

[thecampuslegend]

How many total interviews are you thinking about accepting (theoretically if you got all 40, how many would you really go to?)

Try to group your interviews all around one time; if you are going to be in a certain state, it might be beneficial to contact the other programs you applied to and inform them of your circumstances and that you would appreciate it if they could update you on the status of your app so that you can do your interviews in one travel swoop.

Hotels, rental cars and airfare all vary on where you live and where you are going, how far in advance you plan an interview, and the number of interviews you plan on going on. Without all that information, my best guess would be to save around $2,000.

 

[Valadi]

Thanks for your responses.

I'm thinking about 10-15 programs, within no particular geographic area. I'll go anywhere, I just want a residency :/

 

[Guillemot]

plane ticket = 300
hotel = 100

400 * #interviews = cost.

Places within driving distance will cost less, but may still require a hotel depending on distance....

Its a safe bet that it will cost way more than 2000 though.

 

[repsbrah]

definitely more than 2000, if you are lucky enough to find flights for $200 I'd be amazed.

 

[VneZonyDostupa]

I've found loads of flight for $200 or less, even in the weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Granted, I have two airports nearby which are hubs for two different major airlines, so maybe I jut have more options.

 

[Valadi]

So I guess what I'm hearing is that I should be prepared to spend up to $5000 or more. (only about 6 potential programs are within driving distance for me)

Alright. Thanks guys. Time for me to call Sallie Mae :/

 

[lackli]

I would also look into getting a credit card with reward points. There are a number out there that will give you a pretty significant sign up bonus.

I recently got the chase sapphire preferred card which is 40,000 miles if you spend 3000 dollars in three months on it. That's basically one free 400 flight. It's not that hard to hit if you pay your rent with it or start buying flights with it.

 

[winkleweizen]

I budgeted 5000, and I plan on trying to drive to most of mine if they are within an 8 or 9 hour drive.....maybe overkill? idk, but better have more money then not enough.

 

[Valadi]

Guillemot's little algorithm (400*#interviews) was roughly correct. I went on 18 interviews and spent about $8000.

FYI, future interview trail-ers.

 

[Stellar Clouds]

Check out this thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=978165. 5 or 6 people have given a pretty detailed list of their expenditures during interview season.

 

[winkleweizen]

Ways I saved money where nameing my own price on priceline for a hotel (could find hotels cheap for less than 30 often), I would check Kayak and southwest.com for the cheapest flights. Often southwest was the cheapest, and I tried to group flights. I got lucky and was able to do almost all my interviews in the SW in the same time period. My florida interviews I was able to do at the same time, etc.

 

[Stellar Clouds]

I was able to group a fair amount of my interviews together as well. I was also fortunate enough that all but 3 programs paid for my hotels. I was able to stay with friends at those places that didn't.

 

[Noegrus]

I calculated 500/interview but mid season my no. 1 guaranteed me a spot. Then my no. 2 did the same, so I cancelled the rest. Now I am stuck with 300$ in unrefundable but usable fares on delta and 350 on southwest. Maybe I'll go on a vacation and use up that money.

 

[winkleweizen]

I calculated 500/interview but mid season my no. 1 guaranteed me a spot. Then my no. 2 did the same, so I cancelled the rest. Now I am stuck with 300$ in unrefundable but usable fares on delta and 350 on southwest. Maybe I'll go on a vacation and use up that money.

#firstworldproblems