<p>Rural in Georgia, is much different then rural in Wyoming or France. </p>
<p>I am planning on going to PA for spring break, so that’s part of the driving trip. We are only visiting 3 schools for the 4 day weekend. Knox and Cornell are only 2 hours apart. I understand what you’re saying about the flying part though.</p>
<p>What? Didn’t you just say you were going to Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa over spring break?</p>
<p>Oh wait- you plan to drive to and visit Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa over a 4 day weekend? Thats not very practical, IMO. If you have to guess, which area (PA/NE or Ohio/Midwest) will you likely want to visit more schools?</p>
<p>No! </p>
<p>Spring Break: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. I am off 10 days, but I won’t be visiting all the schools I got accepted to. Only the ones with a decent financial aid package. </p>
<p>Presidents Day Weekend: Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.</p>
<p>Even if you drive through the night, you will probably want to give yourself a good day and a half or more to drive to the NE from here. So your spring break trip to the NE will allow you about 6 or so schools to see (which is a lot). If you only have a 4 day weekend to go to Illinois/Wisc/Iowa then get a cheap airtran ticket into Chicago Midway or MIlwaukee, WI for you and your dad (it will be Southwest by then but no matter) and maximize your time. If you are worried about weather affecting air travel, it will also affect road travel.</p>
<p>I’ll ask my father what he thinks about flying and renting a car for the presidents day weekend trip, but I think he rather just drive our car. We would leave Thursday afternoon and leave Monday morning for the trip, or we could see 2 schools on one day and come back Sunday. The only bad thing about leaving Monday is that the time we come home, I would have to leave for school.</p>
<p>Pres. day is Monday. So fly out Thurs night and back Mon evening. Sleep on the plane. Its a short flight. Less exhausting than driving.</p>
<p>Airtran into Midway for those dates is $79 each way. That is CHEAP. You should grab them. Milwaukee is much more expensive. Grab the Chicago tix.</p>
<p>EC-
I have planned many, many college trips for my s’s. Between the 2 we visited about 26 schools and did a combination of driving and flying. Even taking budgetary issues into consideration, you have to consider maximizing your time to visit the schools you want to see. If you want to get to several schools over Pres day weekend, really, with those fares available on airtran, definitely fly and rent a car. Ther are lots of discount car rental deals available. This is cheaper than driving and staying in motels. Plus you will be able to see more schools and be less exhausted. Much more efficient. Trust me.</p>
<p>Just so you know:</p>
<p>If I flew into Chicago, my father would have to rent a car and drive 3 and a half hours to Knox College in Galesburg, IL. Cornell College is 2 hours from Knox and Lawrence is 4 and a half hours from Cornell. Appleton is 3 and a half hours back to Chicago. So, even with all that, you still think it is cheaper flying/renting a car?</p>
<p><em>cross-posted</em></p>
<p>Yes!!! </p>
<p>If you drive, you will most likely not be able to get to all 3 schools in your time frame, and you face the possibility of bad weather on the road. Rental cars out of Midway should be inexpensive. If teh airfare was what is tis into Milwaukee ($151 each way) I would be less affirmative, but the $79 is a great deal!!!</p>
<p>To drive the 750 mi from Atlanta to Galesburg will, even with decent road conditions, allowing for a pit stop/gas fill up, will take you probably 11 hrs. And you have to plan this each way. Waste of time when you only have 4 days.</p>
<p>Again, EC, I have planned at least 6 college visits outside the local area. I have run these numbers many times to weigh cost/benefit of drive/fly to maximize the the campus visits (which is your goal). To drive 750+ mi each way when you only have 4 days and want to see possibly 3 schools when you can fly for $79 ea way is a no brainer.</p>
<p>What would be cheaper would be for you to pare down your list considerably, wait until you see where you are accepted and what aid you get and then make visits. You said in post 36 that your family did not have the money to visit up north and the midwest? Most of these schools are logistically difficult for you, especially when your family does not appear to have tons of money and there are other siblings and their needs to take into account. Something has got to give somewhere. You still appear to need a good instate safety.Good luck.</p>
<p>Totally agree with EVERYTHING sevomom says. Especially the good instate affordable safety. But if ec is determinded to try to plan trips to both areas, this is the most affordable/practical way, IMO. </p>
<p>FWIW, we looked at all schools before acceptances (ie before applying). Younger s went back to the school he is attending for an accepted students weekend. I am trying to recall if he was admitted before we visited the first time. Cant completely recall, but he had attended local events here in town put on by that school. Regardless, for EC, if the bottom line is visiting schools you will be able to afford to attend, tehn I echo what Sevmom is saying.</p>
<p>What happens if I buy the plane ticket now and then I get rejected by Cornell or Lawrence? At least if I drove, I wouldn’t have to go if that happened. I’ve already been accepted to Knox though. Wow, if I wanted to fly straight from Appleton to Atlanta, it would cost $639 one way. My father wanted to wait until after the acceptances to visit. With the France trip sevmom, we couldn’t afford to go up north and at that time my parents were already short on money. </p>
<p>If GCSU accepts me in January then I shouldn’t have to worry about a financial safety. If they don’t, maybe I’ll apply somewhere else just in case. But Juniata’s early estimator costs the same amount as GCSU, but with $6,500 loans each year.</p>
<p>Well, this is why we are all saying its premature to plan this, if you get rejected from these schools. That said, if you still plan to visit knox, then it is still cheaper to fly. Worst case scenario you spend a few extra days in Chicago (though you’d have to stay somewhere). There are worse things that could happen.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ll tell my father and I’ll ask him if he’ll book them or consider it. But do you think the driving plan for spring break is fine?</p>
<p>You can also follow the fares on line. Airtran always has sales.</p>
<p>Sorry- dont have time right now to review the NE trip. But if one school will reimburse you $300 for airfare, look into flying/renting for that trip too. Remember to calculate the time/gas/meals/lodging if you drive.</p>
<p>Also, I dont think there are any direct flights from Appleton to Atl.</p>
<p>Did you ever say how many of the EA applicants to GCSU are accepted? YOu said 30% of the entering class is admitted EA, but not how many of the EA applicants are accepted.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks for the help. I wonder if the schools would reimburse me $300 for driving instead of flying.</p>