<p>So I recently got admitted to a school that I applied to rather late, but it isn't well known (at least in my opinion) and is kind of out of the way (i.e. not near a metropolitan area). I am planning on doing a visit in April during my Spring Break; I was also checking out the prices in case I decide to go to the school (It is one of my top 3). </p>
<p>The city where the school is does have a regional airport that serves commercial flights in and out of the area; however, I just checked on the respective airlines' sites and the fares are definitely not cheap ($500+ for one way and round trip). Should I try and fly into the nearest major city airport for cheaper and then attempt to take a bus to school? </p>
<p>Granted, I haven't checked Priceline, or Travelocity, or any of the 3rd party sites yet, I was just doing a tentative check to see how much it would cost to fly home and back to school if I do decide to attend...</p>
<p>So with all that, what are some good options or methods I can/should use to minimize the financial cost of traveling back and forth? I've never done anything like this so any input would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>If you haven't already done so...check the school website. Most schools give directions and ways to get to their schools. For example, they may mention whether there is a shuttle service to the college town, or bus service from the airport. You can also call the admissions office if you can't find the info on the website. Tell them that you want to visit and are coming from afar. They should be very willing to help you with information.</p>
<p>It's generally less expensive to fly to a larger airport where they compete for passengers rather than the smaller one where they have the market locked up. Colorado Springs is relatively close so check prices there but you'll also need to check on transport to Gunnison. I'd expect the college transportation office would have some info on this since most likely there are plenty of other students doing the same thing. I expect most of the attendees of the college would be from somewhere other than Gunnison.</p>
<p>Call admissions and ask what's best/easiest/most frequently used. If the option doesn't end up being your favorite, that's fine, but at least you'll know you haven't missed some sort of insider secret.</p>
<p>Also: Be sure to check Southwest fares through the Southwest website. I don't think they show up on any third party sites, but if they flight into/out of convenient airports, they often have great deals.</p>
<p>kayak.com has been my absolute best fare-comparison site. I've found their ways to narrow searches down to be intuitive and fast.</p>
<p>You could always try flying into a larger airport and renting a car. My girlfriend's flying out to visit Penn State for grad school in a few weeks and is going to fly into Pittsburgh and rent a car for the two days she'll be out there.</p>
<p>As I bet you know, Gunnison is a ski resort town. Crested Butte is a pretty popular place this time of year. It is one of my favorite places in the world but I think flying in to Durango is the best shot you have. I'm betting August and May are not their peak travel times. ;)</p>
<p>^^ It might not be but if you ever go to Durango in the summertime you'll find it swamped with people. I did some 4-wheeling in the area and had to go out of my way to find the trails that didn't have the neophytes in the rented jeeps. The train there is pretty popular and of course, it's pretty scenic.</p>
<p>You're right though - some of the popular ski towns might have some decent deals in the wintertime but sometimes they mitigate the deals by jacking up the one-way rates.</p>
<p>If a parent is going with you, I'd suggest flying into whatever airport within a 2-3 hour drive offers the cheapest fare, then renting a car. It will give you more of a chance to explore the area once you're there, if it becomes obvious this place is a serious contender.</p>
<p>Will definitely look into farecast.com and kayak.com</p>
<p>I just may have to fly into a nearby airport and either rent a car or find other types of transportation. I was thinking of visiting in April during one of their Preview Days; I didn't realize Crested Butte was that popular of a ski town...I will also check some of the low fares airlines to see what they have</p>
<p>If you go for Preview Days when lots of other pre-frosh are flying in and wandering around ...you might just find that admissions has some sort of transportation deal in place.</p>
<p>Double check car rental policies if you are going by yourself. Many/most car rental organizations will not rent to you if you are under 25 years old.</p>
<p>Some companies do rent to those who are under 25, but the rates are very high. My oldest d had to rent a car for a business trip (she'll be 25 this year) and she was shocked at how much higher the rates were. Plus, there are only a few companies that will even do it.</p>
<p>Renting as an <18y/o would be even more difficult, if possible at all (potentially allowed through some independent companies, but I believe most larger rental corps--even those that will rent to <25y/o--have an absolute minimum of 18 or 21).</p>
<p>According to Western's website:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Getting Here!
By Air:</p>
<p>The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is a major hub for the Western Slope of Colorado. Serviced year-round, our airport provides frequent and convenient jet service with several airline partners. Ground transportation, rental cars and shuttle service are also available. For more information, including help with lodging and rental car reservations, please call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association toll free at 877-351-8723 .
By Land:</p>
<p>Western is accessible by several interstate highways. Maintained year-round, Highway 50 connects with main arteries leading to Denver, Albuquerque, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and other metro areas.
Approximate Driving Times (from campus)</p>
<p>I think that it's still worth your time to call/email admissions, let them know you're traveling solo, and ask their advice + whether any preview day transport will be available (airport transfers, perhaps).</p>