Yale Interview (flying to New Haven/hotel/etc)

[taponthecloud]

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Dear Friends,

I've just received an interview invite from Yale Medical School. 🙂 I plan on calling the admissions office tomorrow to schedule a date. Any advice?


UPDATE: Hey everyone. Let me say that you guys have reallly been helpful and I truly appreciate all of your thoughtful inputs.

Here's a quick overview of my plan to save some time:

1. Wednesday morning depart from LAX--> Bradley Int'l (arrive late afternoon/night)
2. Stay with student host Wedn night (hopefully this doesn't fall through)
3. Have Thursday to explore campus/city
4. Thursday night: book hotel
5. Friday morning (7:45-2:30pm): interview
6. HOPEFULLLY, depart Friday night (avoiding extra night stay) <--- main concern since Southwest has limited options


First, I agree: flying into Bradley Int'l is the best in terms of cost and convenience (I should've said in my thread that I checked this on GoogleMap and it confirmed Bradley Int'l is only about 1.0 hr away from Yale...just to save you guys some time).

Also, I'm quite convinced (after doing mock ticket-bookings at many online sites) that flying Southwest for this trip is the cheapest. The only drawback is their limited destination stops; Southwest (in addition to not stopping at JFK) will discontinue flights to LaGuardia in early 2008. I know there is another NYC airport in Long Island, but this seems reallly strange to me that a major airline will not fly to two major destinations in New York City. FYI, I'm making this claim based on the mock bookings I did on their site.

So it's nearly set in stone that I'll be flying Southwest to Bradley Int'l. My main problem is the possibility of having to stay two nights in a hotel in addition to one night with a student host.

I must say though I'll feel a lot more at ease arriving two days before my interview, given the fact that the time zone difference between East and West Coast (I'm flying to Yale from Calif, btw); it's actually more like one day since I'll arrive Wednesday night and will have the whole Thursday to tour the campus/city before my interview early Friday morning. The alternative: departing Thursday morning and arriving Thursday night is just too much of a rush and I would like to avoid this. True, I could depart in the a.m. Thursday morning and arrive around noon, thus giving me more time to settle, but this option is usually more costly and only available through other airlines.

Anyone with a grand solution to #6 above, please help?

 

[kuhlguy]

Dear Friends,

I've just received an interview invite from Yale Medical School. 🙂 I plan on calling the admissions office tomorrow to schedule a date.

Could anyone, especially those who have interviewed at Yale or have finalized their flight/hotel plans to YMS, please give me some tips on booking flights and whether or not to stay with a student host (also, what is the typical amount of time one stays with a host)? I'm thinking about flying there from Orange County, CA on a Saturday and interviewing on Monday, leaving Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.

I have done some research on the matter but really have found it difficult to find a good point of reference in terms of cost, convenience, etc. Please give me some advice. Thanks everyone and best of luck this cycle.

im going in less than 2 weeks ... flying into JFK and renting a car ... thats cheaper than flying us airways into New Haven ...

 

[taponthecloud]

im going in less than 2 weeks ... flying into JFK and renting a car ... thats cheaper than flying us airways into New Haven ...

kuhlguy, may I ask how much the flight/car rental package cost? And are you staying with a host, from when to when? Thanks

 

[dazlindz]

I flew to Bradley International Airport (BHL) in Hartford, then took the CT limo (ctlimo.com) to New Haven. It's about $25 one way if you pretend to be a Yale student (they don't actually check your ID, and on the website you just need to click the Yale Students link on the top bar). You can get dropped off at the medical school or in front of Phelps gate, depending on where you're staying that night. My flight was around $200 round trip from Chicago.

I stayed in New Haven with a host one night. It's generally accepted that you stay with the host for a night, then take your luggage with you to the interview the next day and don't bother the host anymore. You can work out something with the host beforehand, I guess, if s/he's willing. I've generally had good experiences with hosts, although the Yale one was probably less nice because I have a hard time falling asleep and the elevator kept making noises all night.

I also stayed in a hotel the second night. It was the Courtyard Marriott, so it was a bit pricey (in the $200/night range). I think they have a Yale discount, but I didn't ask for it (it was too late when I realized it). There are a bunch of hotels in the area (the Omni is really nice), but I think they'll tend to be on the more expensive side.

Also, if you're from Cali you can definitely consider doing the morning schedule at Yale, and then flying back to Cali the same day (it's a long flight, but you have the time zones working for you!) I'm actually in LA right now and it's pretty awesome =)

OK, hope this helped. Good luck with the interview!

 

[taponthecloud]

I flew to Bradley International Airport (BHL) in Hartford, then took the CT limo (ctlimo.com) to New Haven. It's about $25 one way if you pretend to be a Yale student (they don't actually check your ID, and on the website you just need to click the Yale Students link on the top bar). You can get dropped off at the medical school or in front of Phelps gate, depending on where you're staying that night. My flight was around $200 round trip from Chicago.

I stayed in New Haven with a host one night. It's generally accepted that you stay with the host for a night, then take your luggage with you to the interview the next day and don't bother the host anymore. You can work out something with the host beforehand, I guess, if s/he's willing. I've generally had good experiences with hosts, although the Yale one was probably less nice because I have a hard time falling asleep and the elevator kept making noises all night.

I also stayed in a hotel the second night. It was the Courtyard Marriott, so it was a bit pricey (in the $200/night range). I think they have a Yale discount, but I didn't ask for it (it was too late when I realized it). There are a bunch of hotels in the area (the Omni is really nice), but I think they'll tend to be on the more expensive side.

Also, if you're from Cali you can definitely consider doing the morning schedule at Yale, and then flying back to Cali the same day (it's a long flight, but you have the time zones working for you!) I'm actually in LA right now and it's pretty awesome =)

OK, hope this helped. Good luck with the interview!

dazlindz, thanks for the ctlimo discount tip! I figure you're interviewing at my alma mater UCLA? Hope you have a great time in Cali.

I'm actually considering flying out of LAX instead of Orange County since it's a lot cheaper (arriving at Bradley Int'l)... I plan on arriving early Sunday morning and just touring the campus for the day, book a hotel for that night, then stay with a host after my interview Monday night, leaving Tuesday morning...

Anyone know if schools care if you stay with a host after interviewing... or are they no longer obligated to accommodate you?

 

[kuhlguy]

hey .. im actually at ucla right now too!!

but yea ... plane ticket was 300 ... rneting the car is about 70

 

[taponthecloud]

One big negative I can think of for interviewing on a Monday is that it forces you to arrive over the weekend (given you're the type who doesn't like rushing to an important interview the morning of). Many would argue that arriving on Sunday is a good thing since you would have a stress-free day to explore the campus on your own, at your own pace, etc.

However, one could benefit from all this by arriving on a Tuesday for an interview on Wednesday, no? Also, I think one would gain much more insight into a school visiting on a busy week day and getting a chance to observe the daily sturm and drang of campus life.

Furthermore, if I plan on staying with a student host, I suppose the probability of finding someone willing to accommodate me is much higher on a weekday since more people will be campus? Any input from interview veterans?

 

[Bonsai]

Don't fly into New Haven itself unless you find a really awesome deal; it is just as easy to fly into Hartford (Bradley) or JFK. In fact, if you can avoid renting a car, that is probably best as well, since parking in New Haven will be costly and there is excellent public transportation in the area.

If you fly into Bradley, the CT limo is the best way to get down to campus. If you fly into JFK and you have a bit of time, you can take trains the whole way to New Haven (this will probably take 3 hours or so with all the connections, but is pretty cheap and reliable). From JFK, take the AirTrain ($5) to Jamaica Station (this is a pretty nice station, newly remodeled, easy to navigate with luggage). Transfer to the E subway ($2) and take it to the Lexington Ave/53rd Street stop. Transfer to the 6 subway to Grand Central Station (I think this transfer is free, although it may be $2). Pick up the Metro-North Railroad (this is commuter rail, not subway) to New Haven (around $15 each way). Take a cab from New Haven's Union Station to wherever you are staying (probably about $7).

This probably sounds really complicated, but it's not. I've done it a few times and it's really geared towards travelers, so things are marked and people are helpful. If the OP is really coming in on Saturday for a Monday interview, then there is not a time crunch. Check out the website for the AirTrain and it has all this information.

http://www.panynj.gov/airtrain/

 

[taponthecloud]

Thanks for the advice, Bonsai.

I'm inching towards a Friday interview (arrive Wed and stay with host that night, book hotel for Thursday night so I can have time to concentrate for a morning 7:45 interview on Friday)

My big problem with flying into (and out of) NYC is the 3 hr. drive from New Haven. The latest return flight I can possibly get (from Southwest) departs at 5pm on Friday, but the interview session ends at 2:30pm, so factoring in heavy traffic around NYC, I dont know if I could make it. --> then I'll have to stay an extra night (more $$) and leave Saturday morning... I really want to find a solution to this!!

 

[MDRus]

Thanks for the advice, Bonsai.

I'm inching towards a Friday interview (arrive Wed and stay with host that night, book hotel for Thursday night so I can have time to concentrate for a morning 7:45 interview on Friday)

My big problem with flying into (and out of) NYC is the 3 hr. drive from New Haven. The latest return flight I can possibly get (from Southwest) departs at 5pm on Friday, but the interview session ends at 2:30pm, so factoring in heavy traffic around NYC, I dont know if I could make it. --> then I'll have to stay an extra night (more $$) and leave Saturday morning... I really want to find a solution to this!!

New Haven is an hour from Hartford, Bradley International Airport.

 

[dazlindz]

FYI, Hartford is about an hour away from New Haven. NYC (on a good day) is an hour and a half. Also, CT limo goes to Laguardia and JFK, too (although it's more expensive). Still, I'd recommend flying into Bradley.

OP, why can't you arrive just one day before the interview, as opposed to two? It's a long flight from LA, but if you left in the morning you'd still arrive sometime in the evening, right? I think it's possible to stay in New Haven only one night (or two at most, if you have problems getting to a return flight on time)

 

[taponthecloud]

Hey everyone. Let me say that you guys have reallly been helpful and I truly appreciate all of your thoughtful inputs.

Here's a quick overview of my plan to save some time:

1. Wednesday morning depart from LAX--> Bradley Int'l (arrive late afternoon/night)
2. Stay with student host Wedn night (hopefully this doesn't fall through)
3. Have Thursday to explore campus/city
4. Thursday night: book hotel
5. Friday morning (7:45-2:30pm): interview
6. HOPEFULLLY, depart Friday night (avoiding extra night stay) <--- main concern since Southwest has limited options


First, I agree: flying into Bradley Int'l is the best in terms of cost and convenience (I should've said in my thread that I checked this on GoogleMap and it confirmed Bradley Int'l is only about 1.0 hr away from Yale...just to save you guys some time).

Also, I'm quite convinced (after doing mock ticket-bookings at many online sites) that flying Southwest for this trip is the cheapest. The only drawback is their limited destination stops; Southwest (in addition to not stopping at JFK) will discontinue flights to LaGuardia in early 2008. I know there is another NYC airport in Long Island, but this seems reallly strange to me that a major airline will not fly to two major destinations in New York City. FYI, I'm making this claim based on the mock bookings I did on their site.

So it's nearly set in stone that I'll be flying Southwest to Bradley Int'l. My main problem is the possibility of having to stay two nights in a hotel in addition to one night with a student host.

I must say though I'll feel a lot more at ease arriving two days before my interview, given the fact that the time zone difference between East and West Coast (I'm flying to Yale from Calif, btw); it's actually more like one day since I'll arrive Wednesday night and will have the whole Thursday to tour the campus/city before my interview early Friday morning. The alternative: departing Thursday morning and arriving Thursday night is just too much of a rush and I would like to avoid this. True, I could depart in the a.m. Thursday morning and arrive around noon, thus giving me more time to settle, but this option is usually more costly and only available through other airlines.

Anyone with a grand solution to #6 above, please help?

 

[Mbekweni]

Southwest from LAX or SFO to BDL is $109 if you get a date far enough in advance. The admissions office assured me that it was REALLY non rolling, so it might be a good idea to see when you can get this fare, and then book for Jan or so. If you have an interview within the month then overall fares aren't so good. I found it was about $350 to BDL and $300 to JFK from California, but I got a good deal to Tweed/New Haven for $410 on lastminute.com with no hastle at all. Worth it for me.

Dear Friends,

I've just received an interview invite from Yale Medical School. 🙂 I plan on calling the admissions office tomorrow to schedule a date.

Could anyone, especially those who have interviewed at Yale or have finalized their flight/hotel plans to YMS, please give me some tips on booking flights and whether or not to stay with a student host (also, what is the typical amount of time one stays with a host)? I'm thinking about flying there from Orange County, CA on a Saturday and interviewing on Monday, leaving Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.

I have done some research on the matter but really have found it difficult to find a good point of reference in terms of cost, convenience, etc. Please give me some advice. Thanks everyone and best of luck this cycle.

 

[taponthecloud]

Just called the interview coordinator this morning. My interview block is Nov30th-Dec19th.

On a side note, really wanted to know which interview dates were available so I called her on a Friday (today) just to get some info, not to schedule a date, since it states that I should only call to schedule on Tues, Wedn, or Thurs. Also, because I wanted to have the weekend to plan everything before I finalize my plans. Anyways, she seemed rather dismissive and wanted to end the conversation as soon as it started...nice

wait....Mbekweni, since it's REALLY non-rolling admissions, is there a possible way to get my interview after Nov30-Dec19? I want to avoid the holiday prices if I can.

 

[dazlindz]

southwest never had flights to laguardia - it had a codeshare with ata for the laguardia flights, and ata is stopping its laguardia service on jan 7, 2008 because it's too expensive. (ata is also stopping service to dc)

southwest flies to islip, which is not fun unless you live in long island.

(this makes me mad b/c i have about enough points with ata for a free ticket, but what will i do with the ticket if it no longer flies to ny??? hmph.)

op, you should maybe ask around to see if anyone is willing to host you for two days, if you're worried about cost. it's usually not done, but i'm sure somebody wouldn't mind. and i'd bring that person a really nice gift if i were you =)

 

[taponthecloud]

Did you guys arrange everything (date, time, student hosting) with the Interview Coordinator over the phone? Is everything finalized then or would you have to wait for a confirmation/ non-confirmation. Also, has anyone tried to schedule an interview later than the dates provided...? Thanks.

 

[Mbekweni]

Just called the interview coordinator this morning. My interview block is Nov30th-Dec19th.

On a side note, really wanted to know which interview dates were available so I called her on a Friday (today) just to get some info, not to schedule a date, since it states that I should only call to schedule on Tues, Wedn, or Thurs. Also, because I wanted to have the weekend to plan everything before I finalize my plans. Anyways, she seemed rather dismissive and wanted to end the conversation as soon as it started...nice

wait....Mbekweni, since it's REALLY non-rolling admissions, is there a possible way to get my interview after Nov30-Dec19? I want to avoid the holiday prices if I can.

Yes it really is non-rolling admissions. They do have adcom meetings soon after your interview (mine was the same afternoon). I think you get a score and an initial review. However, they look at everything again and re-evaluate before making decisions in March. I have the feeling that Yale with be a really slow school to hear back from. However, the admissions office really emphized with a friend of mine that he could schedule his interview for later and still have no effect on his status. His invite was in early Sept, and he interviews this week- so 2-3 months between invite and interview seems fine. When I got my invite there was no mention of scheduling blocks or anything. I just had to pick any day that they interviewed before March or so.

In a way I wish that I would have had a late interview to save money on flights...but at least it's out of the way now. I also stayed with a student host for 2 nights (sat and sun nights for mon interview). To stay with a student you just email them directly. PM me if you want the webpage of Yale students who can host. The interview coordinator can also give you that link (it didn't come with my interview invite, maybe it has for others?).

Also, don't worry about the interview coordinator. She seemed a bit gruff to me too, but the rest of the school is not that way at all- I loved it.

Finally, If you can't do the LAX or SFO to BDL on Southwest or other cheap airline, them I'm a big fan of Virgin America for cross country flights. If you sign up for their frequent flier program you get 10% off any flight, and other discounts sometimes too. I did a SFO to Washington DC flight for $240 with them, and I think NYC is about the same price. Really good deal.

 

[taponthecloud]

I think I have no other option but to either ask to stay two nights with a host or spend an extra $100 for hotel. I guess that's the small price I'll have to pay if I want to arrive a day early.