Travel

flat Information about Fourth Year Fourth Year Planning Pearls : Advice assembled from books, student affairs, and personal experience about all things 4th year

=Travel=

Air Travel

 * Southwest is generally the best place to start. Their fares are usually among the cheapest, they still offer free checked bags if you need them, and the boarding process is more egalitarian than most.
 * United, Delta, and American Airlines have iPhone apps with mobile boarding passes (paperless). Southwest also has a pretty good app that lets you check in, book flights, and view your account info.
 * **Here's how to pack a suit in a carry-on**: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGWW7_O2sI
 * You can order the large zip lock bags on Amazon, or you can buy the suitcase size Space Bags at the Container store, but you will have to tape over the valve so it doesn't deflate.
 * Canopy Airport Parking offers a CU student discount of 50% off, which makes it $4/day for uncovered parking and $7/day for covered. They also have a rewards program that earns you free days of parking. Show your student ID for the discounted rate. During peak travel times, the Shuttle service doesn't seem to be as fast as the other services because the Canopy shuttles are small. However, the student discount for USAirport Parking, which is next to Canopy, is only $1 off/day.
 * If you will be forced to check or gate check your bag on the way to an interview (e.g. very low boarding position on a full flight), consider taking out your suit and wearing it. A few wrinkles from sitting on it are worth avoiding the risk of it getting lost the night before your interview.

Hotels

 * Watch out for bedbugs! They are becoming very common in hotels, especially in the Midwest, and can cost thousands to eradicate if they hitch a ride home on your clothes or luggage. Check bedbugregistry.com to see whether the hotel you are considering has prior reports of bedbugs (search by both the hotel name and by the address - sometimes it's only under one or the other). When you get to the hotel, place your luggage in the bathtub and inspect the bed thoroughly before doing anything else. Search youtube for videos of how to inspect a bed properly. A flashlight is helpful. Consider buying a hard-sided suitcase as bedbugs don't cling to it as readily. If you find bedbugs in your room, ask for a new room as far away as possible.

Ground Transportation

 * When renting a car, check with your insurance company to verify what you are covered for. There is some debate as to whether the Loss Damage Waiver is worth the extra money (exempts you from damage to the car). However, if you don't get it you have to be extremely meticulous about documenting every scratch, ding, stain, or scrape. Use your cell phone camera to take 360° photos of the interior and exterior in addition to documenting it on the car rental contract.

Staying Organized

 * Try tripit.com - You create an account, then forward your confirmation emails to TripIt. It automatically sorts your plans into trips based on date and destination. They also have an excellent iPhone and iPad app.

Saving Money

 * ebates.com is a cashback website that can get you a few extra bucks here. If you use this referral link when you sign up we both get $5: http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=9MDbcrdbnbeDKyBVUbSTEw%3D%3D
 * If your credit card offers bonus cash back for certain categories such as travel, read the fine print: sometimes it is only valid if booked directly (i.e. not with Expedia, Orbitz, etc).
 * If you have AAA, check for AAA discounts for anything you do. The AMA also has a discount program.

=Interviews=
 * Before you begin, sit down and come up with a list of things that are important to you, e.g. exposure to certain types of cases or populations, moonlighting, board pass rates, etc. Ask your advisor for questions to help get to the quality of a program. If you have a significant other, ask them what things they would like you to find out.
 * Type or write up your impressions of a program immediately after your interview. It also helps to take notes on things that made an impression throughout the interview day.
 * Pack some thank you cards and stamps so you can bust them out on the flight home and mail them promptly.
 * Keep breath mints and an extra snack (such as a Power Bar) on hand